Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) reported a total of 102 bird strike incidents involving its aircraft throughout 2024, according to the airline’s latest data. The majority of these involved the Airbus A320 fleet, which accounted for 85 cases.
Among airports, Lahore experienced the highest number of incidents with 28 strikes, followed by Islamabad with 18, and Karachi with 17. Multan and Faisalabad recorded 14 and 6 strikes, respectively. Nine aircraft suffered direct damage from these encounters, leading to substantial repair expenses for the airline.
The problem has continued into 2025, with 25 bird strikes already reported in the first five months. These included 14 incidents involving A320s and 10 involving Boeing 777s, with Lahore, Multan, and Karachi again being the most affected airports.
PIA highlighted that bird strike repairs cost the airline thousands of dollars each year. In light of the upcoming Eidul Adha celebrations, the airline has issued a public advisory urging citizens to dispose of animal remains only at officially designated waste sites. Improper disposal of offal near airports significantly raises the risk of bird strikes, potentially leading to serious flight hazards.
Reinforcing the message, PIA called on the public to help maintain cleanliness around airports and act responsibly during Eid to ensure aviation safety and prevent avoidable accidents.
