Official audit records show Pakistan International Airlines recovered upward of Rs. 5 million from more than 20 staff members accused of stealing extra fees gathered from travelers for bulkhead, premium, and extra-legroom seats at Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore.
Officers and ground personnel, which included three women, allegedly took cash from flyers for upgraded seats on domestic and international routes but failed to deposit the funds into official airline accounts, according to reports.
The documents indicate that workers manipulated system data to mark the seats as standard, hiding the extra fees collected from customers.
An audit of revenue operations at the Lahore facility brought the issue to light. Insiders stated that the national carrier retrieved the missing cash and started disciplinary steps against the culprits.
Records for May 2024 and May 2025 were reviewed by the Lahore Finance and Audit Committee, which found the discrepancies. Station manager Ashfaq Hussain Awan in Lahore received instructions to start formal proceedings based on the discovery.
Audits reveal that PIA gathered Rs. 5,060,269 via pay cuts from over 20 implicated workers and placed the funds into company accounts.
PIA employees reportedly remain on duty
Implicated workers reportedly stay on their current jobs despite the money recovery. Internal rules mandated departmental disciplinary actions, but the report notes that high-ranking officials stepped in to stop further administrative measures.
Awan verified that the funds were taken back from the suspects and put into the account of PIA. He mentioned that one worker retired in the meantime.
Awan stated he received no official notice from higher authorities about disciplinary measures against any worker.
Separate airport access case involving PIA staffer
A separate case noted in the report involved the Airports Security Force canceling a PIA worker entry pass on May 9, 2026, after the individual allegedly gave unauthorized priority help to a traveler at Lahore Airport.
An ASF letter from May 2026 stated the employee helped a traveler skip lines at an immigration counter. This was noted as a breach of state directives regarding airport entry pass usage.
The findings detail two distinct cases involving PIA workers at the Lahore facility. The airline got back the questioned money in the seat fee case, while reports do not confirm if additional disciplinary actions occurred for the workers involved.
