National carrier eyes Rs133b in revenue next year

Board approves new routes, emphasises management should make all-out efforts to meet targets.

KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is all set to commence flights to new destinations after receiving the green signal from its board of directors. The decision was taken during the national carrier’s 329th board of directors meeting held in Karachi on Monday.

According to an official release, the board approved the corporate budget for the year 2011 with a revenue target of Rs133 billion – a 22 per cent bump from the expected revenues of 2010.

As per the approved plan, a flight to Zahedan (Iran) will start January 15 onwards, while a flight to Colombo (Sri Lanka) will be initiated in the third week of February. The airline also plans to fly to Athens (Greece) from June next year.

Flights to existing destinations, including London, New York and Abu Dhabi, will also be increased in the coming year. The increase in frequency, however, will be subject to the approval of a business plan that has been forwarded by PIA to the federal cabinet.

The said proposal was approved by the board in its meeting held on October 28 and includes plans to increase the fleet of aircraft operated by PIA. President Asif Ali Zardari announced his support for the business plan in his speech on December 25 and approval from the cabinet is expected shortly.

The board emphasised that the management should make all-out efforts to meet the assigned target. It also appreciated the management’s efforts during the volcanic eruptions and snowstorms in Europe and the economic slowdown across the world.

“The current snowstorm in Europe and the United States has so far not impacted flight schedules significantly,” the official spokesperson told The Express Tribune. However, he added that weather patterns are developing and that the airline is keeping “a close eye on developments” to ensure smooth functioning of flights to these regions.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 28^th, 2010.