'PIA suffers a lot from open skies policy’

No further rights will be given to foreign carriers without proper justification

KARACHI: Adviser to Prime Minister on Aviation Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan said on Thursday Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) had suffered a lot due to a “friendly open skies policy”.

“No foreign country or foreign airline will be granted any additional rights without proper justification,” Khan said while speaking to participants of PIA’s Marketing Conference 2017, according to a PIA statement.



“PIA can only succeed with full support and joint efforts of all employees and they should take full ownership of their organisation,” he emphasised.

However, there is a need to eradicate favouritism and promote merit in all spheres of the national flag carrier.

PIA has to fill in the demand gap that exists in the market and must have the capacity and right product mix. The air carrier must expand its network to cater to the demand gap. “I know competition is very tough due to no equal playing field,” he said.

Khan praised the PIA management, especially CEO Nayyar Hayat, for bringing “improvements in the airline”.

He believed that the airline was moving in the right direction and would soon reach new heights.



Earlier, Hayat emphasised the need for PIA to adopt a new business model and said technological advancements should be incorporated at a faster pace to make it convenient for the passengers.

He voiced hope that “the airline is on the path of a turnaround and very soon we will be out of the difficult phase.”

Published in The Express Tribune, July 21^st, 2017.

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