Rawalpindi: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), has asked its pilots and cabin personnel to follow regulations by not fasting while on flights or during travel throughout the month of Ramadan. The instruction came from the PIA flight safety department manager who distributed a circular to all cabin crew members detailing policies about fasting while flying.
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The letter made clear that although flying while fasting was technically possible, there was a risk involved because there could be a smaller margin of safety, per the recommendations of the aircrew medical center and corporate safety management.
According to the report, fasting may lessen attentiveness and affect one’s capacity for making decisions, which could have dangerous repercussions in an emergency.
The letter also made clear that, despite being a highly respected Islamic practice, fasting disturbs daily routines and can result in physiological abnormalities like hypoglycemia and dehydration, which can impair reflexes, focus, and decision-making.
The text cautioned that the effects of fasting could have major repercussions in emergency situations if tasks were postponed or carried out improperly. The letter emphasized that exceptions be made for fasting when traveling, even if it acknowledged the religious significance of fasting.
It emphasized that fasting while on duty could endanger not only their personal safety but also the safety of others, underscoring the responsibilities of cockpit and cabin crew members to passengers and ground staff in addition to themselves.
It was made clear in the instruction that members of the cockpit and cabin crew who were fasting must refrain from operating aircraft, even in cases where state law permits self-exemptions. It placed a strong emphasis on following laws and guidelines to protect both crew and passengers.
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