PIA pilots’ body divided over privatisation

PALPA president in favour while vice president, general secretary against sell-off

KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is again divided over the issue of privatisation, as the elected president of Pakistan Air Line Pilots’ Association (PALPA) has expressed support for the sell-off process, while other members remained fiercely opposed to any such move.

The association is in favour of “transparent privatisation of PIA,” PALPA-President, Captain Khalid Hamza said at a press conference on Monday.



However, vice president, general secretary and about half-a-dozen members present on the occasion took a categorical stance during the conference, saying that they are completely against its privatisation.

The president and other members of PALPA remained firm on their stances till the conference ended.

Later on, Hamza said he gave the statement in his private capacity.

Association warns PIA

The association has warned PIA that if the airlines’ board of directors fail to approve the issues regarding salaries - as agreed upon - in the next scheduled meeting on February 16, then they would have to consider other options to deal with the management.

They, however, denied disclosing the available options with them at this point of time. “We would deliberate upon the options at our annual general body meeting scheduled for February 25,” Hamza said.

“We do not want to damage the airlines... whatever we will do will not harm the airlines,” he said, further adding, “Grounding the planes [wheel jam strike] is not among the options.”

PALPA has many times adopted the ‘go slow’ strategy, which resulted in delaying flight operations that sometimes compelled the management to postpone and/or cancel flights on domestic and international routes.

A member of the association, speaking on the sidelines of the conference, assured that they would not employ the ‘go slow’ option this time.

He said that their demand to the board of directors is not to increase their salaries, but that agreed salaries are paid on time.

For the last four months, the management is deducting about 20% salaries of pilots, he said. Moreover, they are paying salaries in two instalments every month. “This practice should be corrected,” he said.

PIA paying exorbitant rent

PALPA also criticised the PIA management for acquiring new aircraft at exorbitant rates and that too along with air staff.

“PIA is paying a sum of $8,100 per hour for the A-300 it acquired from SriLankan Airlines last year,” Hamza said.

This is of the same (make and model) aircraft that PIA has acquired at a rent of $5,400 per hour from Air Asia Airlines earlier. Both aircraft are made in 2014-2015.

The plane from SriLankan Airlines is operating at a loss to the UK.

The plane was acquired with air staff on the condition that it would later-on be operated by PIA staff.



“PIA staff has been trained for the aircraft. However, they are still waiting to take over the plane’s control,” he said.

Similarly, PIA has taken an aircraft (737-800) at a rent of $2,500 per hour from Pegasus of the Turkish Airlines with a condition of operating for a minimum of 10 hours a day.

The plane has replaced a working A310. However, the 737 cannot fly to Barcelona and China like A310 does, Hamza added.

Lost routes

PIA has lost 498 flights a week to gulf careers on domestic routes. “The routes include Faisalabad, Multan, Sialkot, Peshawar, Rahim Yar Khan and Quetta,” he said.

“The common thing in lost business on domestic routes is that ground-handing for all those gulf airlines is done by a single company.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 31^st, 2017.

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