Have a Great Oshkosh, B’gosh

Forty uncertified defects found on PK-734 operated by A310 at Paris on 9 Aug 2011 leads the European Union to declare CAA regulatory control “unreliable.” A ban will likely be imposed in March 2012.

DGAC France has been authorized to perform routine inspections on PIA on behalf of EASA since November and has found and documented problems. Pia’s poorly maintained fleet of old Boeing 747 and A310 fleet is already banned. The supposedly penniless airline is making payments on new Boeing 777s and is arranging financing of 1.5 billion for 5 more, and possible 5 more after that.

Flakey and unreliable scheduling of flights has resulted in bad credibility and lack of confidence in the national airline; and that lack of credibility is trickling down to the financing. As recently as March 2, a flight was delayed over 24 hours, and the scene at the airport was described as pure chaos.