PALPA strike: Rangers deployed at Islamabad airport

PALPA workers protest against PIA's decision to give its Europe and US operations to Turkish Airlines.


Express February 08, 2011

ISLAMABAD: Regular flight operations restarted at the Benazir Bhutto International airport in Islamabad on Tuesday after Rangers had to push out protesting employees of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) from there.

PIA fired six pilots today after they threatened to cripple the airline’s operations if the deal with Turkish Airlines was not called off.

Members of the Pakistan Airlines Pilots Association (PALPA), whose president, Sohail Baloch, was one of those sacked, protested against both the airline’s agreement with Turkish Airlines and the firing of the pilots in Karachi.

At Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, two groups of PIA workers, one in favour of a strike and the other opposing it, clashed in the morning.

Later, at the Islamabad airport, rangers had to be deployed to avert any untoward incident after at least 18 flights were cancelled with hundreds of people facing delays.

Flights from Multan, Karachi, Islamabad and Peshawar were also cancelled.

The protestors have said they will continue the strike until their colleagues are reinstated and the PIA-Turkish Airlines deal called off. They have also threatened to go on a hunger strike if these demands are not met.

PIA has served show-cause notices to two PALPA leaders, Sohail Baloch and TM Rabbani, for instigating the employees to strike.

Background

PIA, under a joint venture and commercial arrangements with Turkish Airlines, had decided to provide daily link to over 100 international destinations from Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad

PIA spokesperson had earlier said that rumours regarding any strike call are baseless and that no agreement or MoU had been signed with Turkish Airlines as the agreement is subject to approval from the government and other regulatory authorities.

A press statement had said that routes are not owned by any airline and therefore cannot be sold or bought. PIA and TK have proposed a code share arrangement, which are being done by most airlines to increase profitability and enhance routes without incurring additional costs.

PIA’s Managing Director also recently said that if the proposed alliance is approved, PIA would only be sharing four per cent of its passengers with the Turkish carrier.

He said that as a result of the alliance PIA would regain its lost passengers who travel to Europe and America through Gulf airlines.

Gulf carriers take away Pakistani passenger revenues of around Rs35 billion and if PIA succeeds in reclaiming only 10 per cent of the market, it would be earning Rs3.5 billion annually, he claimed.

COMMENTS (20)

arshad khalid | 13 years ago | Reply For the sake of one person MD Pia,govt destroy the staff and image of Pia employ in the world. Pia is the sign of dignity and honor for Pakistani peoples
abu yahya | 13 years ago | Reply i only think why a passenger flying from USA DIRECT TO pakistan would travel via Turkey,if they have to break journey then would prefer gulf airlines.Why not PIA makes hubs in USA and Europe e,g Paris and Newyork and code share with other airlines to passengers to hubs.Corruption is the main problem which has finished everyyhing in Pakistan
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