KARACHI: A five-member team from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has arrived in Pakistan for a crucial audit of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), raising hopes for the resumption of direct flights between Pakistan and the United States after several years.
According to media reports, the US team landed in Karachi on a foreign airline flight from Dubai. The officials will carry out a detailed audit of the CAA’s licensing, flight standards, airworthiness and state safety departments. The audit is expected to continue until September 12, after which the team will return to the United States.
Direct flights from Pakistan to the US were suspended after the fake pilot license scandal surfaced, which led to bans by the United States, Britain and European countries on Pakistani airlines. Following the scandal, the FAA also downgraded Pakistan’s aviation safety rating.
If the CAA passes the audit successfully, it will not only restore its international rating but also pave the way for Pakistani airlines to operate direct flights to the United States once again.
