A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight from Jeddah to Karachi experienced a dramatic turn of events on Wednesday. PIA Airbus A320-200, identified as flight PK-732 and registration AP-BLB, was climbing through cruising altitude (around 28,000 feet) when the crew faced a critical situation - a loss of cabin pressure. This incident forced the crew to take immediate action. They initiated a rapid descent to a safer altitude of 10,000 feet, a maneuver typically used in emergencies to ensure adequate oxygen supply for passengers and crew.
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Following the emergency descent, the pilots decided to return to the departure airport in Jeddah for a safe landing. The plane touched down in Jeddah roughly one hour after departing, a testament to the crew's swift response and handling of the situation.
While the cause of the cabin pressure loss remains under investigation, the safe landing in Jeddah ensured the safety of everyone onboard. However, the incident caused significant delays. The aircraft remained grounded in Jeddah for approximately 16 hours before departing again. This resulted in a total delay of about 19 hours for passengers arriving in Karachi.
PIA will undoubtedly be conducting a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the issue and prevent similar occurrences in the future. PIA has recently experienced several financial difficulties that affected its ability to run smooth operations in the past years. Even privatization efforts were not going in the right direction, as no investors were interested in buying Pakistan's flag carrier.