PIA bookings affected following technical fault in online reservation system

Problem in the online system has now been resolved, claims spokesperson

KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines' (PIA) sales slowed down on Monday due to a technical fault in its online reservation system, Sabre.

"PIA has restored manual booking system and other online reservation systems," PIA spokesperson Mashood Tajwar told The Express Tribune.

"Those came for booking seats on Monday faced the issue in reservations," the spokesperson said, insisting the issue had not impacted flight operations as tickets were sold days, weeks, and months prior to its occurrence.

Tajwar said the problem had not developed at the PIA's end, but in the US.

"The issue has now been resolved," the spokesperson claimed in telephonic conversation hours after the 'malfunction'.



Sabre is a US-based global online ticket reservation system, and the problem has occurred at the service provider's end, affecting the airlines around the globe using the system.

Most airlines offer more than one online ticket reservation systems. Airlines primarily using Sabre would have moved to other online reservation system, the spokesperson added.

Sabre is one of the most familiar systems. Others include Abacus, GDS, Apollo, Free Porter, Amadeus and Galileo.

PIA's accumulated losses ballooned 7.3 per cent to Rs282.20 billion during a six-month period ended June 30, 2016 as it continued to fly in losses on many international routes and lose domestic business to international airlines.