Whatever happened to the Great People?
There was a time when PIA was one hell of an airline — an institution that people looked up to.
With staggering losses of 110 billion rupees in the last three years, and no chance of a financial turnaround, the only way I want to remember Pakistan’s national flag carrier, is what it was like in the prehistoric days. In fact, there was a time when PIA was one hell of an airline — an institution that people looked up to. Small and compact it was known for its professionalism. It could hold its own against any of the global giants. That was the golden age, the time of the two air marshals. The first, Nur Khan, had his boys distill a slogan that described the employees for what they were — Great People to Fly with. The second, Asghar Khan, imported a top French designer who crafted an elegant, chic, stunning uniform for the air hostess, a style that turned into a trend-setter both at home and abroad. And by golly, they knew how to make a profit in those days.
Over the years PIA collected so many firsts that it was almost embarrassing. It was the first Asian airline to fly the Super Constellation, to operate jet aircraft, to induct the Boeing 737-300 and to induct the Boeing 777-200LR, the world’s longest range commercial airliner. It was the first non-socialist airline to fly to China and to operate a service between Asia and Europe via Moscow. And then there were, of course, the employees, and some of the chaps who became legends in their life time, like Captain Abdullah Baig and station manager S K Ali, both deceased.
Baig still holds the London-Karachi flying time record of six hours 43 minutes and 55 seconds which he established on January 2, 1962 in a Boeing 720-040B aircraft. Ali was the kind of chap who believed no problem was ever incapable of solution. Enver Jamall, a former managing director of PIA, devoted a whole chapter to him in his delightful autobiography I Remember. Here are a couple of anecdotes about this remarkable man whose thought processes worked overtime and who told white lies, but always in a good cause.
The scene: Karachi airport. A flight carrying Hajj pilgrims has been unusually delayed. A pir exhorts his disciples to burn the aircraft. Somebody shouts “Call S K Ali”. It is almost time for the maghrib prayer. Ali arrives, mounts the platform, reads the azaan. After prayers he preaches to them about the glories of Allah. “Not a sparrow flies, nor a leaf falls to the ground without the will of Allah. How then can a big metal bird fly without the permission of Allah?”
The scene: Karachi airport. Due to the negligence of the traffic staff an aircraft took off for Islamabad without carrying the high-powered visiting Nigerian delegation. Ali spotted a Fokker 27 on the tarmac ready to take off. He informed the leader of the delegation that as their visit was short he obtained special permission of the top management to send them by a special airplane that would give them a wonderful aerial view of the ancient town of Multan and the industrial city of Faisalabad. For this he received the profuse thanks of the delegation.
Unfortunately, they don’t make people like that anymore.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 30th, 2012.
Over the years PIA collected so many firsts that it was almost embarrassing. It was the first Asian airline to fly the Super Constellation, to operate jet aircraft, to induct the Boeing 737-300 and to induct the Boeing 777-200LR, the world’s longest range commercial airliner. It was the first non-socialist airline to fly to China and to operate a service between Asia and Europe via Moscow. And then there were, of course, the employees, and some of the chaps who became legends in their life time, like Captain Abdullah Baig and station manager S K Ali, both deceased.
Baig still holds the London-Karachi flying time record of six hours 43 minutes and 55 seconds which he established on January 2, 1962 in a Boeing 720-040B aircraft. Ali was the kind of chap who believed no problem was ever incapable of solution. Enver Jamall, a former managing director of PIA, devoted a whole chapter to him in his delightful autobiography I Remember. Here are a couple of anecdotes about this remarkable man whose thought processes worked overtime and who told white lies, but always in a good cause.
The scene: Karachi airport. A flight carrying Hajj pilgrims has been unusually delayed. A pir exhorts his disciples to burn the aircraft. Somebody shouts “Call S K Ali”. It is almost time for the maghrib prayer. Ali arrives, mounts the platform, reads the azaan. After prayers he preaches to them about the glories of Allah. “Not a sparrow flies, nor a leaf falls to the ground without the will of Allah. How then can a big metal bird fly without the permission of Allah?”
The scene: Karachi airport. Due to the negligence of the traffic staff an aircraft took off for Islamabad without carrying the high-powered visiting Nigerian delegation. Ali spotted a Fokker 27 on the tarmac ready to take off. He informed the leader of the delegation that as their visit was short he obtained special permission of the top management to send them by a special airplane that would give them a wonderful aerial view of the ancient town of Multan and the industrial city of Faisalabad. For this he received the profuse thanks of the delegation.
Unfortunately, they don’t make people like that anymore.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 30th, 2012.