LAHORE: As Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is going to acquire some six A320 planes on dry lease next month, questions are being raised about the airworthiness of the five French-built ATR-72 aircraft it acquired recently.

A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued by the PIA management directs the staff concerned to “ensure forward hold is loaded before passengers’ embarkation”. It means the front part of the aircraft should be loaded before allowing passengers, otherwise the front end of the aircraft may go up and the rear end may touch the ground.

“It means the aircraft needs to be balanced in order to prepare for flying. One wonders why the PIA management chose these aircraft with this in-built fault,” a source in PIA questioned.

PIA acquired the 66-seat ATR-72 on dry lease for a period of eight years.

The SOP further says “passengers with seats in the first 10 rows should be boarded first. Make general announcement to start the boarding after that, make precise announcements as per following sequence. Announce row-wise boarding for (1-10 rows) to board first and the same should send to the aircraft remaining passengers will be sent in second coach.”

The SOP also directs the engineering department that the tail prop should be installed before commencing any ground operations.

The third instruction again is on loading the forward hold first. “Loading of aircraft should be carried out only after forward hold is loaded.” The fourth instruction says off-loading of aircraft should be completed before forward hold.

“This means a tail stand must be installed when passengers are boarding or disembarking in case the nose lifts off the ground, which is common if the aircraft is loaded or unloaded incorrectly,” the source said, adding that it clearly reflects “the decision to acquire ART-72 aircraft on dry lease was taken in haste”.

On the other hand, PIA spokesman Aamir Memon told Dawn the decision was taken in “the best interest of the national flag carrier”.

“These aircraft are fuel-efficient and are being operated on domestic and one foreign (Masqat) routes,” he said.

Regarding the SOP, Mr Memon said such instructions were a routine exercise as these aircraft were the best in its category.

PIA was going to acquire six more A320 aircraft (180 seats) on dry lease, increasing the number of operational planes in its fleet to 34, he added.

Published in Dawn, May 31st, 2015

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