Sorry performance: A third of PIA flights delayed in first quarter

Defence ministry paints alarming picture of the national flag carrier.

ISLAMABAD:

Almost a third of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights suffered delays this year due to technical and administrative reasons, dealing a severe blow to the national flag carrier’s business.

More than 4,345 of PIA’s 12,184 flights were delayed due to various faults in this year’s first three months, the National Assembly was told on Friday.

The flight delay ratio stood at 35.6%, while punctuality remained at 64%, according to a written reply submitted by the Ministry of Defence. This January alone, over 294 flights were cancelled while as many as 1,222 flights were delayed due to bad weather and technical and managerial issues.

As many as 156 flights were cancelled and 393 were delayed in February. In March, 150 flights were cancelled and 610 were delayed, the defence ministry said in its reply.

The national flag carrier has been on a downward spiral for the last several months with reports of rampant corruption circulating in the media. Its operations in the country’s northern areas have also remained questionable, with over 300 flights cancelled due to technical issues in this year’s first quarter.

Close to 50 PIA flights were cancelled in Skardu for a variety of reasons. As many as 50 flights were also delayed in Chitral due to bad weather and lacklustre marketing.

PIA’s customers have routinely complained of flight delays, often lasting for several hours.

Passengers also suffer immensely due to flight cancellation and the mismanagement of the airline. PIA’s international flights also experience the same delays as the local ones.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 7^th, 2012.