Minister promises all-out support for PIA revival
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KARACHI: Federal Minister for Privatisation and Aviation Mohammadmian Soomro has said that the government is willing to extend all possible support to the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to make it a viable entity.
“The PIA is moving in the right direction and the government will provide all-out support for its revival,” he said while speaking to senior officials of the national flag carrier.
Take a look: I want to see PIA dominate the skies again
According to a press release issued on Sunday, the minister visited the PIA head office and the airlines’ chief, Air Marshal Arshad Malik, briefed him on the performance of the national flag carrier.
He said the PIA had a lot of potential and it can regain its lost share in the market. “To compete in today’s market we must make best use of service and technology. Customer should be our main focus,” he said.
He also stressed upon austerity measures to be adopted in the PIA and appreciated the measures taken by the management.
Air Marshal Malik, the PIA president and CEO, apprised the minister of the current management initiatives such as reopening of routes, new destinations being planned to increase the airline’s network, improvement in food service, scheduling, and cost savings.
“Things are improving and we are working on convenience of schedule, opening of new destinations,” he added.
Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2018
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Comments (29) Closed
Dec 17, 2018 08:23am
PIA can regain its lost glory with proper management.It has lot of potential,their is lot of good will in overseas Pakistanis to support national flag career.PIA must improve services,make tickets competitive and offer better schedules.In the past,it was deliberately let down to make things easy for other careers.Government can help PIA by stopping new inductions for 5 years to make it lean and reduce the over staffing problem.
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Dec 17, 2018 08:24am
The biggest challenge is lack of service oriented attitude. A lot of employees and no one willing to listen to the customers. At Toronto, PIA boarding gate has normally maximum staff however always disorganized.
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Dec 17, 2018 08:32am
Please fire inefficient staff hired on political backgrounds. Corruption is rampant and flight reservation staff to GB take money to confirm seats.
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Dec 17, 2018 08:32am
Yeah right direction and that direction is?
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Dec 17, 2018 08:33am
I was a patriot but no one wants to put their lives on risk to show patriotism.
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Dec 17, 2018 09:00am
Get rid of surplus staff or redeploy them in other departments.
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Dec 17, 2018 11:24am
30-40% of PIA staff must be fired including all the top management and at least 50% of middle management for PIA to become finacially viable business.
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Dec 17, 2018 11:34am
No state owned airline has ever managed to operate profitably in the long-run and reviving PIA is the government’s pipe dream. The only sensible option is to privatize it.
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Dec 17, 2018 11:35am
As long as Marshalls are in the driving seat... PIA is only going to stall..... please install a competent management with foreign degrees to uplift.
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Dec 17, 2018 11:41am
Human management is the main issue.Willing worker to remain and unwilling worker to be shown the door, PIA will flourish as our cities are the hub for direct flights.
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Dec 17, 2018 12:01pm
In this govt everything is in a right direction its so wonderful..
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Dec 17, 2018 12:02pm
@Nawaz ,
Is this govt creating jobs or sacking them!!!!
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Dec 17, 2018 12:04pm
do they have any facts and figures for improvement or is it just bluff statements??
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Dec 17, 2018 12:29pm
Well done sir. Keep it up. Check fake degrees of employees. In this way additional/ surplus strength can be reduced.
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Dec 17, 2018 12:35pm
Throw good money after bad - business do not run on 'support' but on their competitiveness!
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Dec 17, 2018 12:41pm
Soomro? Might as well give this to Zardari & Co.
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Dec 17, 2018 12:45pm
care to explain what measures have been taken to put the national carrier " in the right direction " ?
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Dec 17, 2018 12:48pm
PIA has too many people at Manchester airport working for them yet no one doing anything just standing around chatting to each other and also their entertainment system is not working in flights from Manchester from approximately 5 years that I can remember. PIA cab get back their passengers they have lost to Emirates, Qatar, Etihad and Turkish Airline but for that to happen they need to get their act together.
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Dec 17, 2018 12:50pm
@Rauf Ahmed, I think they work in buddy system where none of them can do anything alone they need some one to hold their hand.
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Dec 17, 2018 01:04pm
Whatever they say, as long as PIA is not inducted with at least 20 to 25 brand new mid-sized Airbus or Boeing aircrafts, it won't be able to compete with other competitors in the market and its miseries and pains will continue.
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Dec 17, 2018 01:14pm
Just for Minister info, employees not paid salary till today for month of November.
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Dec 17, 2018 05:03pm
PIA is moving in the right direction ... onto the taxiway !
This govt too will lose another PKR 40 by or so to prop up the airline.
To no avail.
This is s hopeless case and a hopeless cause but who will tell them that?
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Dec 17, 2018 05:43pm
PIAs 750-to-1 employee to aircraft ratio needs to be resolved downward to global standards set by profitable airlines!
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Dec 17, 2018 08:01pm
@Dr.M.S.Awan, all of these but most important Merit and the right mind set and professionalism Right person for the right job, no interference, making the organization lean and effective. get rid of the free loaders, check the power of unions to disrupt
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Dec 17, 2018 08:05pm
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad, just more aircraft will make the magic happen. WOW what a great strategy What about professionalism, safety, customer service, punctuality, food, sensible routes, maintenance . Oh these do not matter - just get more aircraft and maybe someone gets a fat commission
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Dec 18, 2018 12:27am
@Shah, no one wants to address the main problem.
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Dec 18, 2018 07:21am
You must cut the fat in PIA and fire a lot of lazy people who don't do anything and also get rid of the people who were assigned by the government's friends.
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Dec 18, 2018 08:40am
No more free ticket even for chairman till PIA gets profitable.
No more reserve quotas for different departments. Book all seats first come first serve, book till last seat till PIA gets profitable.
Change all station managers with honest competent persons on merits only.
Chek and confirm all employees educational requirements, certifications and retake persons capabilities tests.
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Dec 18, 2018 08:50am
PTI Government at least can make policy to stop dormant Rupees accounts of overseas NICOP holders every 6 months.Overseas Pakistani cannot withdraw required one payment from Pakistani accounts every 6 months ,neither can come Pakistan every 6 months.
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