PIA’s Haj operations in total disarray

By
anjum
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8
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Pakistan International Airline’s (PIA) pre-Haj operation demonstrates a total mismanagement of affairs, increasing passengers’ hassle manifold. Around 30 flights have been cancelled since the start of the pre-Haj operation on October 1, while most international and domestic flights have been delayed for long hours, Pakistan Today learnt on Monday. Sources said the national flag carrier might have to cancel 13-15 more flights during the ongoing week because of aircraft shortage and inefficiencies. Flight statistics indicate that all pre-Haj operations had been hastily made, as 31 flights were delayed and 16 flights were cancelled during the last three days.
A PIA official seeking anonymity revealed that the airline was trying to keep its United States- and Europe-bound flights on schedule at the cost of domestic and short flights.
“Though the airline is short of aircraft, but traffic statistics show that the PIA management is deliberately trying to avoid short sectors and domestic flights,” the official said. He added that the comparison of the US, European and other international and domestic flights indicated that most flights to the US and Europe were on time or slightly delayed, whereas domestic flights were delayed up to 15 hours. He said that Haj operations were a permanent and annual feature of the airline and the management had gone through a rigorous planning exercise, however this year, it seemed no homework had been done before the operation started. He said that a workforce of 22,000 people in PIA could not operate only 30 aircraft smoothly. He revealed that of 39 aircrafts in the PIA fleet only 30 were operational, as two Boeing-747s, two Boeing-737s, one Boeing-777, two Airbus-310s and one ATR had been grounded for maintenance and repairs.
Highlighting the casual attitude of the management, another PIA official disclosed that a Jeddah-bound Haj flight, an Airbus-310, had been allowed to takeoff from Quetta Airport despite a reported leak in the airplane’s fuel tank. He said the management had instructed the engineering staff to keep fuel below the leakage point to avoid spill from the tank. He said that probably the same aircraft had been grounded by Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft (SAFA) inspectors in Paris due to fuel leakage. In another instance on Saturday, PIA staff reportedly loaded stale food on a Jeddah-bound Haj flight PK-1815 from Quetta. However at the complaint of cabin crew, flight captain told the ground staff to change food trolley, sources disclosed.
PIA DISPELS INEFFICIENCIES: Speaking to Pakistan Today, PIA Public Relations General Manager Syed Sultan Hasan disputed the report that the Airbus-310, which had leakage in its fuel tank, had been allowed to take off from Quetta. He said the aircraft was withdrawn and its passengers were sent on another plane. He said the aircraft was a machine, which could develop fault anytime. About long delays in international and domestic flights, he said the airline was not discouraging domestic or short sector flights. He said the delays were happening because of shortage of aircraft. He admitted that the PIA had an aging fleet, however added that the airline was efficiently operating flights on various international and domestic routes. He said PIA’s efficiency was not being compromised due to overstaffing and that most of its operations were still manual which required more workforce.

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8 COMMENTS

  1. I will never ever spend a single penny on PIA again. It is a shame and absurd. The sooner it gets bankrupt the better for everyone. Including the government.

  2. the higher officials are krupted …no one is there for the followup of these things…shame on the gov of pak!!!!

  5. I can not understand why the people do not consider PIA as part of Pakistan.Experts say that progress of an organization is directly linked with the progress of the country. Pakistan is in a nose dive situation in all fields of life.Apart from the higher judiciary, all other institutions, organizations , corporations and govt. departments are at their lowest level of performance.
    PIA is owned by govt of Pakistan, it is run by the Pakistani man power which is not a good combination in the present circumstances. As long as it cotinues, PIA will never come out of crisis.

  6. I am a Pakistani who is been in the travel trade only for the past 6 years, presently working in a europeon airline which have more than 500 aircrafts and the workforce world wide is 15000+
    I personally feel that a person like me can run PIA which operates 1500+ flight only for the hajj/umrah operations then why not others??? the only thing is that every one is thinking about his own pocket and corruption in this organization is on top since it was started.
    for a fleet of 30 aircrafts only 5000 people are more then enough.
    If Emirates can use the hub of Dubai to go all around the world then why we can not use KHI-ISB and LHE at their best ??????
    Its all about willing … I can get PIA back on track in 5years time PIA will be competting the regional carries I am sure about that

  7. PIA needs to be privitized. You guys remember when UBL and some other banks were being privatized? Lots of agitations and strikes but look at the banks now how well they are performing. We are going on Hajj this year through PIA and are really concerned. You all guys please pray for the safety of everyone travelling through PIA.

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