ISLAMABAD, Jan 16: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will induct 29 new aircraft in its fleet, its Chairman Tariq Kirmani informed Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz during a meeting held at the Prime Minister’s House on Monday.

The meeting reviewed performance of PIA and considered ways to make it a more efficient world-class profitable organization.

“We have planned to increase the number of aircraft during the next five years from 40 to 52. The plan also includes replacement of existing aircraft and induction of 29 new ones,” the PIA chief added.

The prime minister was further informed that from March this year the airline would start flights to New York and Dubai whereas there would be would be three non-stop flights a week for Toronto.

Istanbul and Athens will be the new destinations for PIA and additional flights between Islamabad and London and Karachi and London are being planned.

The meeting was informed that two additional flights will be operated to Tokyo via Bangkok. On the domestic side, the number of flights will be increased between Karachi and other major cities.

The prime minister wished to make PIA a world-class carrier so that it could compete with top airlines in performance. He said a passion was required for change and improvement and asked the PIA management to strive to compete globally recognized best practices, take decisions which were commercially viable, increase frequency of flights wherever feasible and prepare growth and contingency plans.

He also emphasized the need to initiate cost-effective measures in procurement and operations of the airline.

The prime minister was also informed that during 2005 the PIA achieved the highest productivity in 26 years. Its revenue increased by 13 per cent in 2005 compared to 2004 and Rs2 billion were saved as a result of recently introduced centralised procurement system.

The prime minister was further informed that PIA’ under its “new tail scheme”’ had prepared a plan to promote country’s culture.