<\/p>\n
\u2022 Over 75 flights scheduled for Sunday cancelled as PSO cuts supply
\u2022 Spokesperson claims operation \u2018partially restored\u2019 as four international flights depart late at night
\u2022 Employees\u2019 rep sees airline\u2019s \u2018destruction\u2019 as part of \u2018planned conspiracy\u2019<\/p>\n
RAWALPINDI: Once a profitable entity and the pride of a nation, the national flag carrier\u2019s fortunes plummeted to an all-time low on Sunday, when its operations ground to a halt yet again, due to a lack of fuel.<\/p>\n
While Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), suffering losses to the tune of Rs750 billion, is no stranger to recurring crises, the current situation is probably the most dire in recent years as 77 flights were cancelled on Sunday after Pakistan State Oil (PSO) cut the carrier\u2019s fuel supply.<\/p>\n
This was the second time in less than seven days that the two state entities have come face to face with each other. PSO claims mounting unpaid dues as the reason for not providing fuel to PIA aircraft.<\/p>\n
The national carrier had 81 flights \u2014 52 international and 29 on domestic routes \u2014 scheduled for take-off on Sunday. However, all but four international flights were cancelled, according to a spokesperson.<\/p>\n
The airline confirmed that domestic and international flights have been cancelled following the suspension of fuel supply by the PSO.<\/p>\n
Flights from Lahore to Toronto and Kuala Lumpur, and from Islamabad to Beijing and Istanbul took off on Sunday, the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n
In a late-night development, the spokesman said flight operation was partially restored, and flights to Jeddah departed from Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore and Multan.<\/p>\n
He added that another flight also departed from Islamabad for Riyadh.<\/p>\n
The PIA\u2019s top management was trying to contact the PSO to get the fuel supply restored, said the spokesperson.<\/p>\n
Late on Sunday night, the airline announced that 61 flights were scheduled for Monday (today). Of them, 42 will fly on international routes while 19 on domestic.<\/p>\n
The spokesperson has expressed the hope that the scheduled evening flights on Monday would operate as soon as a credit line was made available to pay for the fuel.<\/p>\n
The crisis has emerged at a time when the caretaker government is looking to expedite the process of relieving the burden of the bleeding entity.<\/p>\n
Last month, a meeting of the Privatisation Commission agreed on a clear timeline for the privatisation of PIA. While no further details were given about the timeline, it was understood that the government wanted to sell off the loss-making state institution as soon as possible.<\/p>\n
Situation \u2018never this bad\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n The widespread flight cancellation left thousands of passengers in distress while PIA employees, who have been witnessing the airline\u2019s crumbling into the abyss, conceded the \u201csituation was never this bad\u201d.<\/p>\n The airline was unable to give the travellers a tentative time of departure as they awaited instructions from the top management.<\/p>\n Some travellers went back home, while others opted to stay at the airport, hoping to fly to their destinations.<\/p>\n The airline has been trying to accommodate the passengers on alternative flights, the spokesperson said, while apologising for the inconvenience caused due to flight cancellations.<\/p>\n A senior pilot stuck in Lahore due to the cancellation of his flight said he had never seen the airline in such dire straits.<\/p>\n There is only one flight scheduled from Lahore to Karachi today, the pilot told Dawn while requesting anonymity.<\/p>\n \u2018Planned conspiracy\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n PIA\u2019s Senior Staff Association General Secretary Safdar Anjum has alleged that the airline is being destroyed \u201cunder a planned conspiracy\u201d.<\/p>\n In a series of posts on social media platform X, Mr Anjum bla\u00admed the \u201cincompetent CEO and his team\u201d for the current crisis.<\/p>\n In August, Air Vice Marshal Muhammad Amir Hayat was appointed PIA\u2019s CEO for one year after serving as the acting CEO since April 2022, following the retirement of his predecessor.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is only one solution to PIA\u2019s problems,\u201d Mr Anjum wrote in his post, as he demanded that the CEO and his team should be fired.<\/p>\n He claimed the executive was only brought \u201cfor the purpose of destroying the airline\u201d.<\/p>\n Talking to Dawn<\/em>, Mr Anjum said PIA is being destroyed and defamed intentionally to pave the way for its easy privatisation.<\/p>\n PIA is still earning revenue with only 16 aircraft, he said and blamed the former aviation minister for inflicting catastrophic damage on the airline with his statement in the National Assembly.<\/p>\n In June 2020, then-federal minister for aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan claimed more than 30 per cent of the civilian pilots in the country held \u201cfake\u201d licences. He added that 262 out of the 860 active pilots \u201cdid not take the exam themselves\u201d and had paid someone else to appear on their behalf.<\/p>\n The statement stirred huge controversy, prompting the European Union Air Safety Agency to suspend PIA\u2019s authorisation to operate in the bloc for six months. The action is yet to be revoked.<\/p>\n According to Mr Anjum, PIA\u2019s flights to profitable UK and Europe routes have been suspended for over three years.<\/p>\n Despite that, the airline has been earning well, he claimed, adding the only burden was bank loans, which could be repaid if management overcomes the financial crisis.<\/p>\n \u201cIf the CEO can\u2019t control the situation, he must resign,\u201d Mr Anjum told Dawn<\/em>.<\/p>\n An aviation expert, however, asserted that PIA\u2019s predicament was solely the result of poor management that emerged as soon as people were hired on deputation by the airline.<\/p>\n Published in Dawn, October 23rd, 2023<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u2022 Over 75 flights scheduled for Sunday cancelled as PSO cuts supply\u2022 Spokesperson claims operation \u2018partially restored\u2019 as four international flights depart late at night\u2022 Employees\u2019 rep sees airline\u2019s \u2018destruction\u2019 as part of \u2018planned conspiracy\u2019 RAWALPINDI: Once a profitable entity and the pride of a nation, the national flag carrier\u2019s fortunes plummeted to an all-time 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