KARACHI: Pakistan Airline Pilots Association (PALPA) has asked Prime Minister Imran Khan to take notice of the huge losses incurred by the national airline due to poor policy of the PIA management, as impact on the national economy and devastation of airline is well established, says a Press release.
The spokesman said that the national airline had lost approximately Rs 90 billion after ban in two months due to non-compliance with the safety requirements of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
Taking the advantage of this poor approach other airlines have expanded their operations in Pakistan to major cities and foreign airlines are capitalizing the market share. It is feared that the time is not far away when most of the local routes will be eaten up by other airlines, triggered by the poor policy of PIA management.
Interestingly, British Airways has announced operating flights from London Heathrow Airport to Islamabad, since September, earlier two months to its plan. Other big names also have planed of taking advantage of this bonanza, thanks to the PIA management’s failure and incompetence, he added.
Palpa spokesperson said that the CEO PIA Air Marshal Arshad Malik and his team are the only answerable and main offenders of various ongoing events before and after the crash. Management must be replaced by the persons who have substantial knowledge of the aviation sector and operational experience.
If foreign Airlines start taking more business by offering their services to a large number of passengers then identity of PIA would be lost. PIA management policy of foreign routes is also dangerous. The PIA will be left at the mercy of a foreign airline, which will leave its staff unemployed and a separate burden on the national exchequer. Similarly, paying in dollars to foreign airlines will prove to be an endless burden on the national exchequer.
The government must play a role in saving the PIA. If this situation of the airline continues, one day all the PIA routes will be terminated locally as well. In this age of competition, when management fails to meet safety requirements, it will certainly not be able to provide better services to passengers. Thus, foreign flights on local routes will lay off employees and hurt the national economy.
The spokesman said that the PIA management is taking draconian measures against pilots. These measures have increased the risk of defamation of the airline and resulting in a cloud on the horizon.
In these circumstances, the role of Prime Minister Imran Khan is encouraging. He acknowledged that the issue of fake licenses had been created unnecessarily. It is hoped that PM will continue to play his part in the turnaround of the national airline to its past glory. PM’s insight that fake licenses issue was created unnecessarily and was not tackled amicably has also proved that the campaign of fake degrees and flying licenses was launched to punish the pilots for highlighting the shortcomings of the management. And MPs were misinformed.
He said that all the employees including the pilots standing shoulder to shoulder by the government. He requested that taking note of the concerns of the employees, PM will play his role for the betterment of the airline.