Suspension From European Airspace Is Latest Blow to Pakistan’s Troubled Airline

Suspension From European Airspace Is Latest Blow to Pakistan’s Troubled Airline

Asia Pacific|Suspension From European Airspace Is Latest Blow to Pakistan's Troubled AirlinePakistan International Airlines has come under fire after a May 22 crash that left 97 people dead, with an inquiry underway into 150 pilots' credentials.

The residential area of Karachi where a Pakistan International Airlines passenger plane crashed on May 22, killing 97 people.Credit...Fareed Khan/Associated Press

July 1, 2020Updated 2:01 p.m. ET

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan “” The European Union's announcement that Pakistan International Airlines would be barred from flying into Europe for at least six months is the latest blow to the country's national flag carrier, which has been mired in financial and administrative troubles and has come under scrutiny after a crash in May that killed 97 people.

The decision on Tuesday by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency to temporarily ban Pakistan International Airlines followed revelations last month by the Pakistani aviation minister, Ghulam Sarwar Khan, that a large number of pilots there and at other airlines had dubious credentials. Pakistan International has now grounded 150 of its pilots and an inquiry is underway to review their licenses and other documentation.

The reports of the questionable credentials have put Pakistani pilots under international scrutiny. Earlier this week, Vietnam grounded 27 Pakistani pilots who