A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight attendant has “disappeared” in Canada, and unfortunately this isn’t the first time (or even tenth time) that something like this has happened…
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PIA flight attendant goes missing during layover
A PIA flight attendant has gone missing during a layover in Toronto. Specifically, on November 16, 2025, a flight attendant operated flight PK789 from Lahore (LHE) to Toronto (YYZ). The flight attendant was scheduled to operate the return flight, PK798, three days later, on November 19, 2025, but didn’t show up. At that point he was reported as missing.
The company did manage to get in touch with him, and he cited ill health as the reason for his absence. However, he refused to make further contact, and chose not to return to Pakistan.
The airline claims that it’s now investigating the incident, and claims that “departmental action will be initiated against the flight steward in case of illegal disappearance.” Yeah, I’m not sure that’ll be terribly successful.
This is a pretty common occurrence at PIA
This isn’t the first time that this has happened at Pakistan International Airlines. As a matter of fact, this seems to happen several times per year, for around a decade now.
It’s likely that the number of flight attendants who “disappear” in Canada is connected to the country’s liberal asylum policies. Many crew have used their layovers in Canada as an opportunity to abscond, citing economic pressures in Pakistan as the motivator.
Several years back, PIA had claimed it would change protocols to avoid these issues going forward. Specifically, the airline pledged to hold onto crew passports during layovers, and require hotel security to make sure crews check-in, stay the night, etc.
However, it doesn’t appear that a whole lot has been done on that front. For that matter, I’m not even sure it would accomplish a lot — if someone wants to escape and is happy to ditch their passport, then there’s nothing the airline can do.
At least in each of these cases, this was done during a layover, and didn’t impact any other people at the airline directly. Contrast that to the 2014 incident, where an Ethiopian Airlines pilot hijacked his own plane in order to seek asylum in Switzerland.
Bottom line
A Pakistan Airlines flight attendant has disappeared in Toronto, which is only the latest in a string of incidents. It seems pretty clear that these are just people looking for a new life in another country.
It’s interesting how of all the places that PIA flies, this seems to happen almost exclusively in Toronto. I guess it reflects the country’s asylum laws, plus the feeling that people can start a better life there.
What do you make of PIA’s “disappearing” employees in Toronto?
Keeping your employees‘ passport is for a lot of good reasons an illegal practice in decent countries
I'm just happy he's not roaming around in America.
...raping and killing and getting free phones and free healthcare.
Or none of the above.
Crawl out of your hole James and wake up
Andcthat racist commemt should get you banned for a lifetime. Wonder why you npt mentioned eating cats and dogs. Absolutely disgusting.
I remember the cabin crew giving you crap for taking photos on a Manchester flight I think it was? lol
It's really a shame what PIA has become. Along with Gulf Air, they used to be the Emirates before Emirates. I guess they got beat by the ME3 + Turkish?
@Mike O.
Mismanagement and corruption destroyed PIA long before the ME3 and Turkish started to dominate. So they lost their business to ME3 and Turkish due to their poor service.
I agree that dual national crew would solve the isdue but what if Canadians wanted to abscond in Pakistan ?!
PIA needs to hire dual or Canadian nationals. Problem solved.
Or stop flying to North America..
"Seek asylum" is the new way of saying "try to migrate to a developed Western country"