LAHORE, Nov 26: The PIA board of directors on Monday approved acquiring of eight narrow body jet ‘fuel efficient’ planes by the first quarter of 2013 on lease.

The board revised its earlier plan of acquiring five narrow body (Boeing 737-800) and two Boeing-777 planes which it had approved during the tenure of PIA chairman-CEO Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman (retired).

Under its new chairmanship of Defence Secretary Lt-Gen Asif Yasin Malik (retired), the board in its 334th meeting dropped acquiring two Boeing-777. “The PIA has now decided to add eight fuel efficient narrow body jet planes to its fleet of 39,” a participant in the meeting here told Dawn.

The board also discussed acquiring six more Boeing 737-800 in the second quarter of next year. However, the proposed plan might be placed before the members for approval once the acquiring process of the eight planes was finalised.

He said the meeting was also informed that addition of narrow body jet planes would reduce the total fuel consumption cost of the PIA from 54 per cent to 25 per cent that would help enormously to improve the financial health of the national airline.

After the departure of Rao Qamar, the national carrier could not complete the process of acquiring seven planes (five Boeing 737-800 and two Boeing 777) reportedly because of the ‘procedural hiccups’.

Last year the PIA had floated tender for acquisition of 39 narrow body aircraft as per Fleet Replacement Plan 2020. The tenders were opened in January 2012 and all the bids received were reportedly substantially non-responsive to the tender. The PIA management then had decided to maintain and utilise its own fleet by December this year.

During the meeting matters for bringing about betterment in airlines were discussed at length. The chairman also informed the meeting that he was very much serious to save the national flag carrier and he would uphold merit in PIA at any cost. He also said the officials who got promotion without merit would be demoted.

The board also unanimously passed a vote of thanks to Rao Qamar for his commendable services during his tenure as chairman and CEO PIA.