Did PIA Raise a Pride Flag at Its Office?
A picture of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) office in Amsterdam, showing a LGBTQ+ pride flag at its entrance, went viral on social media. This led to claims that PIA was endorsing the LGBTQ+ community.
The photo, shared with the caption “PIA supports pride,” quickly gained attention with over 38,000 views. However, it did not provide details about the office’s location or the date the image was taken, prompting a need for verification.
A PIA spokesperson clarified that the office in the photo, which was in Amsterdam, had been closed since 2018. The pride flag was part of the Amsterdam Pride festival, celebrated annually from July 22 to August 4. The flag was put up by the Amsterdam municipal government, not by PIA.
The spokesperson provided additional photos and videos showing that the flags were municipal decorations for the festival and did not reflect PIA’s values or endorsements. Amsterdam, known for its LGBTQ+ friendliness, will host the WorldPride festival in 2026.
The spokesperson also noted that the office space is now rented to another entity, which is in the process of removing PIA’s name and logo. This confirms that the pride flag was part of the city’s celebration, not an endorsement by PIA.
