PIA revs its engines with aim to deliver improved service

National carrier plans to turn around entity in 18 months, achieve profitability by 2022

Solidly based on a business plan developed for the first time in a decade, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is in the midst of implementing the first phase, V1, as it is called after the V1 Velocity that an aircraft achieves on the runway before committing to fly, to turn around the company in 18 months and achieve profitability by 2022, if not earlier.

Operating reports from the last couple of months confirm PIA's upward trajectory. The strength of the plan can be seen in the positive results seen as sales rose by 29% since the month of October 2017, and are growing every day. Efficiency and innovative solutions fuelling organic growth are being pursued, alongside a culture change towards enhanced customer satisfaction and experience, greater accountability, and human resource management.

With a 67% and growing market share in the domestic market, PIA is already the national market leader, carrying millions of passengers over the largest domestic network, covering all parts of the country. Now the aim is to gain glory on the international realm. In this endeavour a clear roadmap till 2022 has been outlined in the recently launched business plan. With a turnaround of the airline promised in 18 months, work is in full gear to achieve the goals.



"I see PIA dominating the skies again! I see it clearly and I see it surely! And my confidence comes not from things we promise but things we have already delivered and are every day accomplishing to bring a positive change," PIA CEO Musharaff Rasool Cyan stated as he discussed the present and future of the airlines.

Moving from a bureaucracy to an agile business enterprise

The global context of the airline industry in which the airline companies find themselves operating is evolving rapidly and has moved away from airlines being merely transport to a lifestyle. After all, travel is a life style. To become globally relevant, PIA is changing its business practices and has set clear set of targets till 2022: increase the fleet from 36 to 43; increase the revenue by almost 100%; move from an operating loss to an operating profit of Rs6 billion; and increase direct networking points from 50 to 57 and virtual network to over 100. PIA has also set itself a new vision, a truly global profitable airline while being the pride of Pakistan, with customer centricity and excellence in everything as the guiding principles.