So Imran Khan has destroyed PIA and Aviation industry? Let's have a look!!

A.G.Uddin

Minister (2k+ posts)
Some blast from the past


Flying Feckless in Karachi
By Bina Shah
Nov. 18, 2014

KARACHI, Pakistan — It was a scene out of a cinema farce. Pakistan International Airlines Flight PK-370 was scheduled to take off from Karachi to Islamabad early one evening in September, but it had been delayed for two hours — a mechanical problem, the crew claimed.

Then a crew member confessed: The plane was waiting for a V.I.P. passenger. When a senator from the opposition Pakistan People’s Party, former Interior Minister Rehman Malik, finally showed up to board the flight, passengers mutinied and booed him away from the plane’s door. As if to keep things even, Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, a National Assembly member from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s governing party, showed up even later, reached his seat, and was then chased off the plane by the passengers.

A video of the episode went viral on social media the next day, and many Pakistanis applauded the vigilante justice against V.I.P.s who use their status to lord it over ordinary citizens.

At the same time, the episode pointed to the malaise that has overtaken P.I.A., once a national asset whose crack pilots and sound management helped establish dozens of international routes. The state-owned airline is now all but lost in a morass of financial liability, political favoritism and technical disrepute. The pressing question: whether P.I.A. has passed the point of no return and can no longer be saved.

Flight PK-370 wasn’t an anomaly; horror stories abound of flights delayed for up to 30 hours before being canceled, and of furious passengers being sent home with no explanation. Computer systems cancel bookings without informing passengers, and with no opportunity for reimbursement. Planes fly dirty, flight attendants are lackadaisical and reservation agents are unreasonable. Yet P.I.A. still commands 70 percent of the domestic market in Pakistan, overshadowing three smaller and less well-equipped commercial airlines.

It wasn’t always this way. P.I.A. began flying internationally in 1955 as the country’s government-run carrier and received early technical assistance from Pan American World Airways. It quickly became a regional leader — the first Asia-based airline to operate jets, in 1960 — and it helped Singapore Airlines, Emirates and Royal Jordanian Airlines, among others, to establish their own fleets. In the 1960s, Pierre Cardin designed its flight attendants’ uniforms, while travel posters showcased exciting destinations and the romance of international travel.

P.I.A. showed profits back then, and being nationally subsidized, it could promise job security for all employees. But the future was slowly being compromised. Ticket prices were artificially low, the airline paid high taxes on jet fuel, and its flights were not allowed to sell alcohol. Then, in the 1990s, the first Gulf War drove fuel prices and insurance rates sky-high. Subsequent tensions with India and the war against the Taliban led to repeated closures of Pakistani airspace and airports.

But not all of the airline’s problems can be laid at war’s doorstep. One of the largest is overemployment: With only 36 planes and about 17,000 employees (who fly free with their families), the airline has a ratio of employees to aircraft that is reportedly among the highest in the world. This is not a managerial strategy: It is a result of the government’s using P.I.A. as an employment reservoir. Plum jobs go to well-connected people, reflecting a larger governmental ethos of nepotism, favoritism and corruption.

Meanwhile, poor maintenance has rendered some P.I.A. planes inoperable, limiting the number of routes P.I.A. can fly. In September, according to the newspaper Dawn, 10 of the airline’s 36 aircraft were grounded for lack of spare parts. Departures have been scaled back or eliminated on unprofitable routes. These factors allowed officials to report that P.I.A.'s annual loss — about $310 million last year — is estimated to be about $175 million this year. But those numbers indicate that the airline remains a huge drain on the national exchequer.

In response, the government is trying to privatize the carrier. In 2013, Prime Minister Sharif announced plans to sell a 26 percent stake in the airline, but the plan only angered many of the well-connected who now get special privileges. More recently, Reuters reported a plan to split P.I.A. in two, divesting the airline of an investments division that owns the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan and the Hotel Scribe in Paris while offering to sell the airline itself to another global airline. Emirates (which P.I.A. helped to create), Etihad and Qatar are reportedly among the contenders. Mohammad Zubair, a financial adviser to the government, hopes that a sell-off of the subsidiary’s assets will raise $4 billion, which might allow the government to retain and reinvigorate the airline.

Since this tactic too may fail, Mr. Sharif recently appointed a prominent businessman, Nasser Jaffer, as the P.I.A. chairman, and Capt. Shujaat Azeem, a pilot and businessman, to be the prime minister’s special assistant on aviation. Captain Azeem told The Daily Telegraph that they intend to streamline operations, improve service and end corruption. But even if that can be achieved — and substantial doubt remains about that — it’s unlikely to be the end of the story.

On Flight PK-370, passengers had finally tired of the politicians who treat the national carrier like their personal transportation service. But Arjumand Azhar Hussain, who captured the onboard protest on video, was fired from his job at an international courier company less than a month later — an act widely believed to be a bit of revenge from somewhere in the V.I.P. culture, while the company defended it as “based on merit.”

Unless Mr. Jaffer and Captain Azeem turn out to be powerful enough to fix the part of P.I.A.'s culture that panders to the political elite, the airline will continue to sabotage its own recovery, and perhaps will have to change its name to one of the notorious acronyms that its frustrated passengers have been inventing for many years now: “Pakistan’s Irritating Airline.” Or “Prayers in the Air.” Or, most ominously, “Perhaps I Arrive.”

Bina Shah is the author of several books of fiction, including, most recently, “A Season for Martyrs.”




Pakistani who shot Rehman Malik plane video sacked

A man who filmed passengers preventing Pakistan's former interior minister from boarding a plane for being late has been sacked from his job. Arjumand Hussain and others accused Rehman Malik of holding up the Pakistan International Airways flight.

Mr Hussain says he was given no reason for his dismissal and does not regret standing up against "VIP culture".

His employers deny his sacking was over the protest video, which went viral. Mr Malik denies holding up the flight.

Mr Hussain had a senior role at multinational courier and logistics company Gerry's Group, the Express Tribune reported.

His footage of Rehman Malik and another politician - Ramesh Kumar Vankwani of the ruling PML-N party - being harangued by angry passengers struck a chord with many Pakistanis earlier in September.

The video was shared on social networks, with many praising the passengers who took action.

PIA blamed the delay of the flight from Karachi to Islamabad on a technical fault.




Nepotism in PIA causing Rs 2-1/2 crores loss

Pakistan International Airlines acting Managing Director has received a complaint regarding the appointment of excess flight engineers for Boeing 747 on contract by PIA. This is in violation of Establishment Division directives and amounts to nepotism in PIA under present government, causing loss of Rs 2-1/2 crores.

Transparency International Pakistan on October 18, 2012 had reported to MD PIA a serious complaint on the appointment of excess flight engineers on contract by PIA and violation of Establishment Division's directives. The complainant in 2012 had reported that against the requirement of 18 flight engineers for three Boeing 747 aircraft when PIA already had 21 regular flight engineers, and 18 pilots for these Boeing 747.

Also that the 21 flight engineers are getting paid guaranteed remuneration's of 70 hours flying time per month, and that the average flying time for last two months had been between 30-40 hrs/month. It meant that even the services of the present 21 flight engineers are under-utilised, but PIA is hiring nine additional flight engineers on one year contract, which is going to cost PIA at least Rs 50 million additional expenses, without any requirements.

The Managing Director at that time on TI-Pakistan's complaint had stopped the hiring of all such flight engineers who were illegally appointed on contract, and PIA was saved million of rupees extra expenditure. Chairman, TI-Pakistan, Sohail Muzaffar in a letter to acting Managing Director, PIA has informed him that a fresh complaint has now been received that under verbal orders of high ups in Islamabad "Sifarish" PIA which do not require any additional flight engineers, is going to appoint retired flight engineers on contract.


The following issues have been raised by the complainant:

1. Ayaz Sadiq, Speaker National Assembly, has directed PIA management to appoint his cousin flight engineer Amir on contract at Rs 4 lac/month salary. He had retired six months ago, at 60 years of age.

2. That Captain Shujaat Azeem, Managing Director Shahnawaz Rehman & Director Flight Operations (DFO) Captain Qasim Hayat, are responsible for three such appointments and the summary to that effect has been raised by Director Flight Operations, Captain Qasim Hayat.

3. As per rules for any employment after 60, permission by name has to be obtained from Prime Minister and the posts "must" be advertised. This is violation of Supreme Court orders on appointment in Pakistan State Enterprises (PSEs) on merit and in transparent manner.

4. Secondly, as only one Boeing 747 will be used in Haj operation, the present strength of serving permanent employed flight engineers is sufficient to do 33 Hajj flights.

5. The average flying of each flight engineer shall be 40 hours/months, but they are paid guaranteed 50 hours/month during Hajj operation. Present flying is @35 hours/month but paid for 50 hours/month, whereas last month it averaged 20 hours/month.

6. Also on B-777 & Airbus A-310 the pilots are flying 100 hours/month average per person, but no contract pilot is hired by PIA after 60 years, while airline is paying more than 150 crore rupees to these @ 300 pilots every year on account of "Denied Rest" Excess Duty & "Days Off" payment the average remuneration of pilots on these aircraft has doubled as DFO is not promoting people on these aircrafts. This is the "additional annual loss" caused to airline by PIA management.

7. But on B-747, three flight engineers are taken on 'Sifarish' to cover-up when they are not required. It will cost PIA @ one core in revalidating their flying license/simulator/under supervision flying cost PIA @ 1-2 crore in Salary/year for three flight engineers who are not required at all.

8. Last year Haj operations were carried out by (2+1) = 3 B-747 aircrafts as a backup for any technical so that schedule is not affected PIA had 12 F/E s (6 F/Es per aircraft) as approved by management in 2012.

9. Now (1+1) = 2 B-747 will do Hajj operation, 1 for Hajj 2nd for backup & thus 6 F/Es are needed. PIA already has regular six F/Es on its parole.

10. That the three more flight engineers are taken to please Ayaz Sadiq (via Shujaat Azeem) so that position of Managing Director Shahnawaz Rehman and DFO Qasim Hayat remain secure after giving favour.

The new acting Managing Director has been requested to examine the complaint, which if true, includes serious allegations of nepotism on the PML N government, especially on you and Captain Shujaat Azeem Special Assistant to Prime Minister. There are many other allegations on PIA, and on Captain Shujaat Azeem of such nepotism in PIA and CAA.

"PIA is also requested to process the promotion of pilots on Boeing 747 and Airbus 310.310, and save as alleged annual wastage of Rs 150 crores. Copies of the letter have been forwarded for action under rules to: Secretary to Prime Minster, Islamabad, Chairman, NAB, Islamabad, and Registrar Supreme Court Pakistan, Islamabad.





Now let's look at behaviour of Air Hostesses and other crew members as well


PIA air hostess arrested in Paris for shoplifting

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Jawed Asghar | Mar 21 2017

A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) air hostess was arrested on Monday night in Paris for shoplifting at a shopping centre, PIA sources told DawnNews.

The air hostess, Afshan Khalid, was spotted by CCTV cameras as she stole items, prompting the shopping centre's security personnel to apprehend her and hand her over to the police, said a source in the national airline.

Khalid was detained by French authorities for five hours and released after PIA's station manager in Paris posted her bail, PIA sources said.

PIA management has taken notice of the incident and have ordered a full investigation into the matter, Yaqoob PIA's general manager flight services, told DawnNews.

Yaqoob added that the air hostess will be barred from flying on any international flight for a duration of six months.

"Once the investigation is complete, strict action will be taken against Afshan Khalid," he added.



PIA airhostess caught shoplifting in Canada

LAHORE: A Pakistan International Airline (PIA) air hostess was caught shoplifting at a department store in Toronto, Canada.

The department store management caught her stealing over a CCTV camera and gave the footage to police, which later interrogated the PIA captain.

She will be produced in a local court today. If her crime is proven in the court, the national carrier may have to pay a fine.

The airhostess reached Toronto through PIA flight PK-797 and was scheduled to return through PK-784, sources said.


13 employees fired in PIA heroin smuggling case: report submitted to Senate committee

Nadir Guramani | Updated Dec 16 2017

The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Friday submitted a report to the Senate Special Committee regarding its investigation into the heroin that was found on a PIA flight from Islamabad to London on May 15.

British authorities had confirmed in May that their Border Force officers had found a "quantity of heroin" on board a PIA flight that landed at Heathrow Airport.

The national flag carrier dismissed 13 staff members from the engineering department, supervisors and technicians after conducting an investigation and filing a report on the heroin found on the plane.

According to the report, security at all airports in Pakistan has been increased ten-folds while all non-essential personnel have been banned from approaching any aircraft in the hanger.
All airports in Pakistan are now monitored through close-circuit television cameras, the report added.

It was also mentioned that all containers and food being transported to the plane are now thoroughly searched beforehand.

The national carrier often comes under fire for its poor performance, low safety standards and the unprofessional attitude of its staff.

Days after the bust on May 15, 20kg of heroin was found hidden aboard another London-bound PIA flight at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport on May 23. A search by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), Airport Security Force (ASF) and PIA intelligence personnel had led to the recovery of 10 packets of 2kg each, hidden in the plane’s tail section.

The airline has taken a firm stance against corrupt practices and recently announced that “termination from service” will now be the only punishment if any staffer of PIA is involved in smuggling contraband in or out of the country.


 

Nice2MU

President (40k+ posts)
کاش زرداری اور گنجوں کے 10 سال کسی طریقے سے پاکستان کی تاریخ سے کوئی نکال سکتا تو پاکستان اس آج بہت بہت اچھی حالت میں ہوتا۔
 

Khair Andesh

Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
اس میں کوئی شق نہیں کہ پی ٹی آئی کےدور میں پہلے سے تباہ حال پی آی آے کو مزید تباہی سے دوچار کیا گیا ہے۔مبینہ جعلی پائلٹوں نے پی آئی اے کو اتنا نقصان نہیں پہنچایا، جتنا وزیر ہوا بازی کے بیان نے پہنچایا ہے۔