Aircraft, which was leased from Malaysia, was seized at Kuala Lumpur International Airport...
Digital Desk: On Tuesday, authorities in Malaysia reported seizing a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Boeing 777 aircraft over a leasing dispute.
According to Pakistani media, the aircraft, which was leased from Malaysia, was seized at Kuala Lumpur International Airport following a court judgement for non-payment of $4 million in dues.
However, the airline denied the allegations, claiming ownership of the aircraft. It was noted that the rental business only possessed one of the attached engines.
According to DAWN, PIA spokesman Abdullah Hafeez Khan stated that the exact outstanding amount is $1.8 million, which has allegedly been paid to the firm.
Additionally, the same aircraft was detained by airport authorities in 2021 for the same reason. However, it was later released when Pakistan provided assurances.
AerCap Holdings NV, the rumoured lessor, has yet to comment on the situation.
DAWN report states that the passengers of the aforementioned flight were accommodated on an alternate aircraft. According to the PIA official, the disputed aircraft would fly as a regular commercial flight from Kuala Lumpur.
According to Simple Flying, the leasing company stated that the Pakistani flag carrier stopped making payments in July 2020. It added that it had filed a case against PIA in the London High Court in October for failure to pay a leasing fee of approximately $14 million that had been owed for six months.
