WASHINGTON — The United States downgraded the safety rating of Pakistan's aviation system and will block Pakistan's airlines from launching service to the U.S. The move announced Wednesday follows revelations that nearly one-third of Pakistan’s pilots cheated on exams but still received licenses from the country's civil-aviation authority. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said that it put Pakistan in a so-called category 2 rating, which means airlines from Pakistan can't start new flights to the U.S. Also, U.S. airlines can't sell seats on Pakistani flights, a practice called code-sharing that is common among other international airlines. There currently aren't any regularly scheduled flights between the U.S. and Pakistan. The FAA said Pakistan's aviation system doesn't comply with safety standards set by the United Nations aviation authority, the International Civil Aviation Organization.

Source: International New York Times July 15, 2020 16:18 UTC