A PIA corruption case has come to light at Lahore's airport, where more than 20 employees of Pakistan International Airlines are accused of keeping extra fees that passengers paid for premium and extra-legroom seats. The allegations are based on official audit documents, and the airline says it has recovered Rs5,060,269 from the staff through salary deductions.
What the audit found
The PIA corruption allegations were uncovered during a review of records for May 2024 and May 2025, carried out by a committee based in Lahore. Its findings led the station manager, Ashfaq Hussain Awan, to be instructed to start formal action. Three of the people named are women.
According to the documents, ground staff allegedly charged passengers for upgraded and extra-legroom seats on domestic flights as well as international ones, usually after boarding or at departure. Instead of passing the money to the airline, they reportedly edited system entries so the seats appeared as standard, and kept the payments.
Recovery, discipline and a separate airport case
PIA has since deducted Rs5,060,269 from the salaries of the employees identified, and the amount has been deposited into the airline's account. Despite the repayment, the people named reportedly remain in their jobs. Under PIA rules, departmental disciplinary proceedings were required, but reports say further administrative action was halted after senior officials intervened.
Awan said the funds were taken back from the people involved and placed in the airline's account. He said one of them has since retired. He also said he has had no formal notice from higher authorities about any action against a staff member.
The sources differ on the disciplinary position. One account says the airline has started disciplinary proceedings against those involved, while another says further action was halted, and the two have not been reconciled. Further disciplinary action in the seat-fee case has not been confirmed.
In a separate matter, the Airports Security Force (ASF) cancelled the entry pass of a PIA employee who was reportedly found giving a passenger priority help at an immigration counter at Lahore airport on May 9, 2026. An ASF letter dated May 2026, seen by media, calls this a breach of government instructions on how airport entry passes may be used. It is a separate incident from the seat-fee allegations.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Lahore airport par PIA ke kuch employees par alzaam hai ke unhon ne extra seat ki fees apne paas rakh li. PIA ke mutabiq Rs5,060,269 salary katau ke zariye wapas le liye gaye hain, lekin mamle mein shamil log abhi apne ohdon par hain. Mazeed karwai ke baare mein tasdeeq nahi hui. Musafiron ke liye yeh ahem hai ke airport par extra seat ki adaigi kis tarah record hoti hai.
