PIA aircraft collides with staircase at new airport Islamabad

In yet another incident of inefficiency by the national carrier, a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) aircraft in Islamabad collided with a passenger staircase while departing for Karachi on Thursday.

PIA’s Flight PK-373 was set to depart for Karachi when the aircraft collided with a passenger staircase while leaving the airport apron, damaging the wing of the aircraft.

According to PIA officials, the wing of the aircraft is being currently repaired and the flight will now depart for Karachi at 1:30 pm. Passengers have been shifted back to the passenger lounge.

Earlier in November, an aircraft of PIA skidded off the runway at the Panjgur airport. Everybody onboard remained unhurt.

A tyre of the plane, flying from Karachi to Panjgur, burst during landing. The pilot of PIA’s flight PK-517, however, remained in control of the aircraft and successfully brought it to a halt near the runway, according to sources.

A video clip, showing passengers disembarking from the aircraft through emergency stairs, went viral on the social media.

Such incidents involving the national flag carrier are not uncommon. In March 2013, tyres of a PIA plane burst while the aircraft made an emergency landing in Quetta. All passengers on board remained unharmed.