Minister promises all-out support for PIA revival

The Newspaper's Staff Reporter Published December 17, 2018

Mohammad Mian Soomro says national flag carrier is "moving in the right direction". — File photo

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

Pakistan

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Dr.M.S.Awan

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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Rauf Ahmed

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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RIAZULLAH BAIG

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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Nawaz

Dec 17, 2018 09:00am

Get rid of surplus staff or redeploy them in other departments.

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Shah

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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Umar Aftab

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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hassan

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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Justicefirst

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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WayToGo

Dec 17, 2018 12:01pm

In this govt everything is in a right direction its so wonderful..

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WayToGo

Dec 17, 2018 12:02pm

@Nawaz , Is this govt creating jobs or sacking them!!!!

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Asad Raza

Dec 17, 2018 12:04pm

do they have any facts and figures for improvement or is it just bluff statements??

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Mansur Ul Haque

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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on FLIP SIDE

Dec 17, 2018 12:35pm

Throw good money after bad - business do not run on 'support' but on their competitiveness!

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Newborn

Dec 17, 2018 12:41pm

Soomro? Might as well give this to Zardari & Co.

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Qazi

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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Arslan

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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Arslan

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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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

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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Ahmed

Dec 17, 2018 01:14pm

Just for Minister info, employees not paid salary till today for month of November.

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Zak

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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thoughts

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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Syed Hafeez Imran

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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Syed Hafeez Imran

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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Omar

Dec 18, 2018 12:27am

@Shah, no one wants to address the main problem.

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zack

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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Khan

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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Khan

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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