Only major airports to be outsourced, says PIA
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KARACHI: Apropos a report published in Aug 22 issue of Dawn and captioned “Palpa criticises new aviation policy”, the PIA has clarified that the policy envisages outsourcing of only major airports of Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad and Karachi to improve services and increase revenue.
“The outsourcing is not tantamount to selling the airports,” the Pakistan International Airlines said in a statement. “The national flag carrier has been involved in deliberations for formulation of the policy.”
Also read: Pilots threaten strike if PIA goes for contractual hiring
It rejected allegations levelled by General Secretary of the Pakistan Air Lines Pilots Association (Palpa), Sohail Ahmed, regarding the policy and alleged that he had resorted to undignified means to further his own agenda.
Under the policy, it said, the proposal of open skies had been floated to improve service delivery by encouraging healthy competition among airlines. The ultimate beneficiary would be the air traveller, it added.
Published in Dawn, August 27th, 2015
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Comments (24) Closed
Aug 27, 2015 06:50am
Money money money. Outsourcing to their relatives and frirnds to. strengthen their empire and legacy .
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Aug 27, 2015 06:55am
30 % of passenger travelling in PIA travel for free because of government connection or VIP
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Aug 27, 2015 07:25am
"Only the major airports will be outsourced"; because no one is interested in others.
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Aug 27, 2015 07:26am
The airports belong to the Civil Aviation Authority. How does the PIA come into the picture. Plus the 3 airports mentioned must be making the government a lot of money already, as almost all international traffic in/out of Pakistan goes through these. So this is tantamount to selling one of your best assets. A very questionable decision and indeed suspicious.
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Aug 27, 2015 07:35am
I think pia is the only air line in world,which charges approx 12℅ on ticket value/rate extra,if booked online yourself,.......
discouraging their customers....pathetic!
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Aug 27, 2015 07:49am
@Khan- Pakistani Dont present your assumptions as facts.
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Aug 27, 2015 07:50am
Expect to pay much higher airport fees for all passengers using the airport, as well as for food, parking etc. If the service improves specifically the dungal during check in or when you exit the terminal, the hordes hanging about doing nothing, then i cannot complain about this.
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Aug 27, 2015 07:51am
Its time to build new Airport outside city give current Kharachi Airport land to Malik Riaz and let him build new Airport like Dubai do same with Karachi cenetral Jail let him build central jail far from city
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Aug 27, 2015 08:03am
The next thing we know is that they outsourced Pakistan, oh wait they have already done it. Even if you give Pakistan all the wealth in the world our politicians would eat away with in months and our people will continue to vote these goons for their selfish reasons.
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Aug 27, 2015 08:51am
Privatisation and outsourcing is a global phenomena, we have witnessed the same in banking and telecommunication sector in Pakistan - the results from all perspective are spectacular.
We should not shy from privatising/outsourcing our aviation assets. Same has been done in region (India, Turkey, etc.). Vested interest will always resist the change as they will suffer from transparency and openness.
Let's accept the fact that government or its appointee can not run the enterprise. Frequent changes in government will not allow enterprise under their umbrella to take long term painful strategic decisions.
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Aug 27, 2015 09:01am
@Ahmed Ok then tell me what facts you have ? In this country privatization means selling government owned business to your own people .
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Aug 27, 2015 09:02am
@sami : yes - although online booking should be 10% cheaper. PIA taken additional 10% - calling it PROCESSING FEE -
it is very typical of our corrupt culture of looting money
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Aug 27, 2015 09:23am
Why not lay down a long-term policy of lifting Karachi's to make it an international hub for flights like Dubai, rather than making policies on ad-hoc basis. Lets make PIA an autonomous but independent body.
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Aug 27, 2015 09:29am
You can not even manage your major Airport you might as well pack your bags and fly to Jadah or UK your final destination.
with a given unemployment rate in Pakistan and being a poor country this government has not clue how to put a plan in place. Mind you it was PIA that brought up the Gulf air
Pakistan is full of talented peoples but unfortunately ruling party has no clue how the government should work
His family and friend will make tons of money on kick back by contracting out the Pakistani airport.
This is the like breaking the back bone of nation. He will destroy Pakistan Air line just like his sasti rooti, danish school and failed Metro projects
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Aug 27, 2015 09:41am
Yeah sell the entire company cuz you can't manage it
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Aug 27, 2015 10:13am
@Ahmed so what are the facts.??? Would you like to share
with verifiable reference
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Aug 27, 2015 10:36am
@Common Citizen . Fact is, Pakistan needs work to be done on ground. I personally don't mind if relatives of ruling party are given contracts as long as they are competent enough to deliver and are not corrupt. What ever people say, fact is that unlike PPP, this government is delivering very well so far so let it work please
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Aug 27, 2015 10:48am
@SMI 100% Agree with your comments.
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Aug 27, 2015 10:57am
Rana Sanaullah was overheard saying that this is a land dispute between Palpa and the CAA, and there is no evidence of outsourcing.
He further mentioned that CDs and DVDs are also available of this land dispute between these 2 groups
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Aug 27, 2015 11:14am
If nepotism isn't involved, outsourcing is actually good for the management of the airports, which are in horrible condition today as compared to some of the other Asian hubs (Bangkok, Singapore, Dubai, etc.). If Pakistan wants to attract the right air traveler, CAA has to think out of the box and get some really good airport management and marketing companies involved to build a brand.
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Aug 27, 2015 11:57am
No, it may not be an outright sale, but it is an admission of failure!
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Aug 27, 2015 11:58am
They want us to pay more taxes, but want to outsource PIA to their relatives.
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Aug 27, 2015 12:04pm
@SMI What will new airport do for the country, if only a handful of gulf carriers use them? Besides wasting $$ Billions on fancy new airports, the money could be better used to improve roads, bridges and security.
In cities like Karachi particularly, which is the dirtiest in the country, and the main road right outside the present airport is littered with garbage, broken down cars, crumbling and shoddy apt blocks, tacky billboards and dangerously hanging power lines.
Lahore already has a very well designed, functioning and much cleaner and efficient airport. Whereas new ISB Airport is already nearing completion.
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Aug 27, 2015 01:14pm
It is not the business of the government to run an airline. In the US, all airlines as well as airports are owned by private sector companies. The government should sell PIA and lease all civilian airports to the private sector companies which have proven experience and successful track record in the same business. However, the sale transaction as well as lease transactions must be transparent and negotiated in the best public interest
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