KARACHI (Kashmir English): Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has reported 102 bird strike incidents involving its aircraft in 2024.
According to the PIA official report, the Airbus A320 fleet was the most affected, accounting for 85 of the total incidents in the last year.
Among the airports, Lahore remained the top in recording such incidents with 28 cases, followed by Islamabad 18 and Karachi with 17. Multan reported 14 such incidents, while Faisalabad recorded 6.
The report said that nine national career aircraft were directly affected by bird strikes in 2024, with significant financial damage caused to the PIA.
According to PIA estimates, bird strike-related repairs cost the airline thousands of dollars annually.
PIA entered into 2025 with the same trend, with 25 bird strike incidents logged in the first five months of the year.
These included 10 cases involving Boeing 777 aircraft and 14 involving A320s.
Multan, Lahore, and Karachi reported 5, 6, and 2 cases respectively, while Islamabad, Peshawar, and Sialkot recorded two incidents each.
The month of April this year alone saw 7 bird strikes, underscoring the persistent threat during warmer months.
PIA public advisory
In light of the upcoming Eid-ul-Adha festivities, PIA has issued a public advisory asking citizens to dispose of animal waste at designated locations only and avoid dumping remains near airport vicinities.
“Improper disposal of offal near airports significantly increases the risk of bird strikes, which can lead to major aviation accidents,” the airline warned.
The national career has underlined the importance of maintaining cleanliness around airports and called on citizens to exercise caution and responsibility, especially during Eid celebrations, to prevent potential tragedies.
