Up in the air: 21 PIA flights cancelled

PALPA resorts to a ‘go-slow’ policy to press demands with PIA management

ISLAMABAD: Amid brewing tensions between the management and association of pilots, more than 21 flights of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) were cancelled on Thursday.

The powerful body of 430 PIA pilots – Pakistan Air Line Pilots Association (PALPA) – resorted to what can be technically called a ‘go-slow’ policy to press their demands. This was at a time when the state-owned carrier is conducting crucial post-hajj operations of bringing back pilgrims from Saudi Arabia, besides running its regular operations.

PIA management claims it had achieved around 95 percent on- time flight schedule in the pre-Hajj operations. However due to the protest pilots started on Thursday, its post-Hajj operations could suffer.

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This would also lead to more losses to the ailing state-owned carrier. The government claims it had just started recovery after induction of new aircraft in its fleet.

“Today PIA had to operate fights on 125 sectors, but due to PALPA inciting pilots to go on strike, 21 have been cancelled so far,” a PIA spokesman said.

The PIA spokesman attributed the cancellation to an ‘irresponsible’ attitude of PALPA at a crucial time. They feared that Hajj operation would be affected.

“PALPA would be directly responsible for any misery caused to the Hujjaj, including those who are injured. Under pressure from PALPA 14 pilots have refused so far to operate flights, causing disruption in PIA’s flight schedule,” the spokesman said in a statement.

PIA management alleged that PALPA was inciting pilots to report sick at the last minute, which he said was tantamount to going on strike.

An Official of Pilots’ Association told The Express Tribune that their organization was protesting against apathy and incompetence of PIA management. According to him PIA was not adhering to their work agreement with pilots.

“It is not a go-slow or a strike, we are strictly following our work agreement,” Captain Amir Hashmi, President of PALPA, said.  When asked about specific demands of pilots he said there were more than 25 clauses of their agreement which are not being followed by the management.

He, however, arbitrarily mentioned a few issues. These included duty timings, training issues, job security issues, promotions etc. He also accused the management of appointing ‘incompetent’ officers on important posts.

However, PIA management has a different point of view: “They (PALPA) are demanding removal of director fight operations and replace him with a person of their choice. They also want restoration of licences of pilots who have been suspended due to disciplinary action. They want us to stop disciplinary action against some others against whom inquiries are in process,” an official in the PIA management claimed.

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What prompted PALPA to go for partial strike at this time is recent decision of PIA management to allocate them seats in economy instead of business class, the official claimed. He said the management was trying to ‘defuse’ and overlook real issues by bringing up such issues.

Director Flight Operations Captain Salman Azhar when contacted confirmed he was among the officers whom the PALPA wanted to remove. He said his two predecessors were removed during the past two years on pressure by pilots.

“In guise of their personal agenda, PALPA leadership is blackmailing the management to agree to unjust promotions and unjust benefits to PAPLA executives,” the official said.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 2^nd, 2015.