Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Chairman Nasser Jaffer claimed to have formulated a ‘plan B’ to run the flight operations without interruption, under which new pilots will be inducted on contract basis while Pakistan Navy’s aviators will also be called in for assistance.
While addressing a press conference in the federal capital, the PIA chairman said that the number of pilots creating hindrances in flight operations is very limited.
“The national carrier is already suffering huge losses still some individuals are adding to its woes,” he said.
Responding to the news of notices being issued to two pilots, Jaffer said “the notices were issued by Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and not PIA”.
He further said that only two flights were cancelled on Tuesday out of the 102 scheduled for the day. “One got cancelled due unavailability of pilot while the other due to bad weather.”
It is pertinent to mention that, benefitting from the ongoing crises between Pakistan Airlines Pilots Association (Palpa) and PIA, the private carriers have increased their air fares by 100 per cent.
The Competitive Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has ordered an inquiry into a surge in fares by private airlines following a dispute between PIA and Palpa.
“The CCP has started inquiry into an unreasonable surge in fares by private airlines and will take legal action against airlines found involved in anti-competitive activities,” the commission said in a statement.
“The commission is cognizant of the problems faced by passengers in the wake of protests by pilots of the national flag carrier,” it added.
Taking notice of 21 PIA pilots and co-pilots reporting sick at the same time, CAA has constituted a medical board to examine their medical and psychological condition to ascertain professional viability.
The medical board would also examine how 21 individuals fell ill at the same time immediately after Palpa announced its “go slow” policy, resulting in unforeseen flight delays inflicting losses on the national flag carrier and causing inconvenience to the passengers.
They have been given three different dates to appear before the medical board — on October 8, 12 and 19 — allowing them to appear in three groups so the flight schedule is not affected.
PIA's management has laid the blame on its pilots for creating the crisis, while Palpa on the other hand has accused the airline's management of inefficiency and mismanagement.
Palpa had stated that it has only asked its members to “go by the book” while the management claimed the pilots called in sick at the last moment which resulted in the cancellation of flights.
Flight Operations Director Salman Azhar said Palpa’s “go by the book” step could be managed but the pilots’ calling in sick at the last moment could not be.
CAA spokesman Pervez George said: “Palpa has become a source of threat to the national carrier and is responsible for financial losses to the nation by dictating their personal agenda to the national airline and the State of Pakistan (CAA) by deliberately disregarding the flight safety rules and regulations which are made for the safety of passengers travelling by air, people on the ground and valuable national assets (aircraft).”
