PIA explains case on free Dubai trips for fashion show

This refers to a news report that appeared in Pakistan Today on April 24, 2015, stating that free round trip tickets to Dubai were given out by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to a TV channel costing millions of rupees regarding a fashion show featuring PIA’s new cabin crew uniforms. The fashion show was held in March in Karachi where new uniforms for PIA cabin crew were displayed.

PIA has clarified its position stating, “It needs to be clarified that the uniforms were designed on pro bono basis – that is, entirely free of cost – by a team of 16 fashion designers. They all offered their expertise to PIA as a gesture of goodwill and contribution towards the national carrier.

It was in this very spirit that the proceedings of the fashion show were recorded and broadcast by a TV channel, again totally free of cost.

It needs to be clarified that PIA and the private TV channel had separately entered into a barter arrangement under which PIA had sponsored the TV channel’s “Annual Award Show” in Dubai. The desired level of PIA branding was allowed and due endorsements were made by the channel as a routine structure of sponsorship. In return 200 PIA tickets were bartered, of which only 128 seats were utilised for the event.

It may be added that the fuel surcharge, which is a part of the ticket and relevant taxes, were not included in the ‘barter’ and were, therefore, paid by the TV channel.

It also needs to be stated here that such barter arrangements are standard industry practice all over the world between various print/electronic media and airlines and it was under this convention that the barter arrangement was made between PIA and the TV channel for the show in Dubai.

It is important to mention that the fashion show in Karachi was sponsored by ‘Friends of PIA’ consisting of Bank Al Falah, Khushaali Bank, Ufone and Fatima Fertilizer while Spectrum Communications and others Catwalk made their professional contribution, again on pro bono basis. As such the fashion show did not cost any money to PIA.”