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PIA is the national carrier of Pakistan, which in years past has found itself in hot water. From ill-conceived marketing campaigns to questionable policies, PIA has captured worldwide attention and debate. Here are the top five controversies that have haunted the airline.
1. PIA Eiffel Tower Ad Sparks Backlash (2025)
PIA received severe backlash over an advertisement showcasing its flight resumption towards Paris. A plane flying near the Eiffel Tower with, *"Paris, we're coming today."
is what critics immediately used to connect an attack against using airplanes against the buildings in the 9/11 terrorist attacks; hence, highly insensitive.
- Social media exploded with reactions such as "Is this an ad or a threat?"
- In fact, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif himself ordered an investigation, underlining how badly things went wrong.
The incident has viewed 21 million times on X previously Twitter so far and continued giving more bad publicity for the airline.
- 1979 Ad Featuring Twin Towers
Long before the recent Paris ad, PIA stirred controversy back in 1979 when it released an ad showing the shadow of a passenger jet over the twin towers of New York's World Trade Center.
- Although it was a while before the tragic events of 9/11, many consider this retroactively creepy and not particularly tasteful.
This resurfaced ad continues to be cited as a historical misstep in the airline's marketing history.
3. The Goat Sacrifice for Good Luck (2017)
In one of its most bizarre incidents, PIA staff sacrificed a goat on the tarmac to ward off bad luck following a catastrophic air disaster.
This move was ridiculed on social media and condemned as unbecoming of a national carrier.
Sacrifice in Modern Aviation: The sacrifice was symbolic in nature; however, it raises many questions related to the state of modern aviation practice and belief systems.
4. Weight Loss Mandate for Flight Attendants (2019)
PIA sparked outrage by sending a memo to its cabin crew that threatened to ground them if they fail to shed extra weight.- The national carrier ordered flight attendants to shed "excess weight" within six months, drawing global outrage against body-shaming and workplace discrimination.
- The airline responded that it would not compromise on better efficiency, but by then the damage was done.
5. 9/11 Connection and Global Scrutiny
This historical PIA connection with figures of global terrorism also contributed to its controversies.
- The alleged mastermind behind 9/11, Khalid Sheikh Mohammad, was arrested in Pakistan, and the leader of al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, was killed in the country in 2011.
- These associations have put the country, and by extension its national carrier, under the global spotlight for the wrong reasons.