KARACHI (TIP): At least 16 cabin crew members of Pakistan’s national carrier have disappeared in the last five months in Canada after going there on international flights. Four cabin crew of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) last month failed to show up for their return flights after disappearing from the hotel in which the flight crew members were staying, Ary News channel reported. The channel said that a spokesman of the PIA had confirmed that in the last five months women cabin crew members had slipped away after flying to Canada on PIA flights.

“Disciplinary departmental action against those who have slipped away has been initiated by PIA while these staffers will also have to face action under international aviation laws,” the channel quoted the spokesman as saying. The cash-strapped airline has some 17,000 employees but just 36 aircraft, and 10 of them are grounded due to a lack of spare parts. Two Boeing 737-800 (180-seater) aircraft yesterday reached Karachi which have been acquired by the national airlines from Turkish airlines on a wet lease programme. Sources in the airlines said the slipping away of the PIA cabin crew highlighted the lack of discipline in the airlines and proper training. Last month, customs officials detained cabin crew members of the national airlines after they returned from an international flight and tried to smuggle new iPhone 6 models in their personnel baggage.