ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on Friday demanded a detailed report on cases of pilferage and stealing from passenger luggage by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) baggage handlers at airports.

The direction came during question hour in a National Assembly session when an MNA had brought the matter up. Mr Sadiq said it was not surprising that valuables go missing from passenger’s luggage,

“In Pakistan, whole aeroplanes go missing,” he said, referring to the airbus A310 that was sold to a museum in Germany in violation of rules and regulations last year.

Minister in-charge of the Aviation Division Raja Mohammad Javed Ikhlas informed members of the lower house that pilferage and stealing from passenger’s luggage was not unusual in the airline industry and that PIA was no exception unfortunately.

Complaints about stealing from passenger luggage is investigated by PIA’s security division and in some cases, no clue of the theft is found, Mr Ikhlas told the session.

18 baggage handlers were laid off in 2015 for pilferage from customers’ luggage, NA told

He said action was taken on Oct 30, 2015 against 18 baggage handlers, hired through a contractor, in connection with a complaint about their involvement in suspicious activities including pilferage from luggage. All these employees were laid off and their airport entry passes were confiscated, he said.

Investigators rely on CCTV footage and other reliable sources to look into allegations against baggage handlers. If something is found against them, the staff members are placed under suspension and disciplinary proceedings are initiated against them.

Asked a question about losses to the PIA, Mr Ikhlas said that lack of ownership, resistance to change, organisational culture and many other reasons have contributed to continuous deterioration of the national flag carrier.

In a written reply submitted in the lower house, Mr Ikhlas said the aviation policy, insufficient equity injection by the principal owner, decisions without strategic clarity that did not merit commercial viability, unskilled workforce and faulty human rights practices are among other reasons that have caused the deterioration of the PIA.

“Negative perception, weak in-flight experiences, baggage issues, schedule disruptions and limited customer conveniences and so much more contributed PIA to run into losses,” he said.

He said setting aside the legacy of loans, the implementation of a new business model, implementation of damage control to the reputation of the airline, improving customer satisfaction and rationalisation of human resources are some of the ways the PIA can be brought out of the crisis.

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2018