Pilots hint at strike over PIA-TA deal

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LAHORE – Pakistan Air Line Pilots Association (PALPA) plans to go on strike from 8 February, 2011, if Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) does not annul the imbalanced agreement with Turkish Airlines (TA).
PALPA President Captain Sohail Baloch while speaking to Pakistan Today said his organisation has given the airlines the deadline of February 7, 2011 to cancel the agreement with TA. He threatened that the alternative is a strike and halt the flying operations of the airlines from 8th February. Besides the cancellation of the agreement, PALPA wants the removal of PIA MD Eijaz Haroon from his position, he said, adding that it is in the best interest of the airlines that the demands are met.
PIASSA demands report on code sharing agreement: PIA Senior Staff Association (PIASSA) has demanded a detailed report on the proposed PIA-Turkish Airline code sharing agreement. PIASSA has underlined that it will not participate in any activity, which damages image of the national carrier. Instead, it will prefer to work for the airline’s progress. The executive body of PIASSA discussed several issues pertaining to PIA staff and airline in a meeting, convened at Karachi on Saturday. Office-bearers from Lahore, Islamabad, Multan, Sukkur, Faisalabad, Peshawar and Quetta zones also participated in the meeting.
PIASSA’s executive body have asked the PIA management to present a detailed proposal on the PIA-Turkish Airline agreement after which the association would be better placed to explain benefits of the proposed code share to it’s members. PIASSA President Abid Saleem stated that matters, related to the welfare of officers, including MoU for salary raise, revision of pay scales, flight services allowances and pension ratio on equal basis would be discussed with the management.
It was also decided in the meeting that the association would not support or endorse any decision, not beneficial for PIA.