Drunk PIA crew members create commotion in Paris hotel, airline to take severe action

KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) launched an inquiry on Thursday after it was reported crew members were found involved in conduct unbecoming at a Paris hotel earlier this week. 

According to a statement issued by PIA's spokesman Danyal Gilani, the chairman and CEO "have taken strict notice of the matter and ordered [an] inquiry into the incident." The statement added that "severe action would be taken against those found guilty." 

Meanwhile PIA sources wishing to remain anonymous confirmed to Geo.tv that members of the cabin crew got drunk and then misbehaved creating a commotion in the hotel lobby where they were staying.

It was also suggested that those involved would be dismissed from service. 

While the airline has not disclosed the names of the crew members, details available with Geo.tv confirm that 13 cabin crew members 11 from the Lahore station and two from Islamabad were part of the last Islamabad-Karachi flight.

Nearly three years ago in November 2013 a PIA pilot was jailed for nine months in England after he was found drunk before operating an A-310 carrying 156 passengers.

At the time, Irfan Faiz, 55, was asked to leave the cockpit during checks for the flight from Leeds Bradford airport to Islamabad because he reeked of alcohol and was unsteady on his feet. He was later found to have three times the legal permitted amount of alcohol in his blood.