Safety in the skies

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), in a bid to stymie the financial effects of a dispute with the Pakistan Airline Pilots Association (Palpa), has decided to rehire, on a contractual basis, pilots who had been retired after they reached the age of 60. This is the result of a breakdown in negotiations between PIA and Palpa, after the union instituted a go-slow to protest the fact that pilots were being forced to work longer shifts than that mandated by the airline.

This is not a typical union dispute, since PIA’s decision could potentially affect the safety of all passengers. Recall that the pilot of the Airblue crash was 62 years old and had been hired by the airline only after he had to retire from PIA. Passenger safety should be of utmost importance and since, by definition, Palpa’s main concern is the well-being of pilots, the airline should immediately institute a policy that requires regular medical tests, including reflex tests, of aged pilots. The Civil Aviation Authority should also step in and perform its regulatory duty by ensuring that PIA is complying with these rules.

If passenger safety is the prime responsibility of airlines, their convenience must come second. Inordinate delays and cancelled flights are not acceptable, especially at a time when so many students are travelling abroad for their college studies. Whatever the merits of Palpa’s complaints, PIA needs to take short-term measures to ensure its flight schedule is not disrupted. Ideally, PIA would counter the go-slow scheme by hiring young pilots, but the dearth of trained pilots makes that a pipe dream. Since many countries allow pilots to fly up to the age of 65, PIA too should do the same, but only if the pilots are proven to be fit for duty.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 7^th, 2010.