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PIA to achieve break-even in 2025 [Post#362]
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shortbread
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jazbaaa.... and plenty of it!
It means little to the thousands who had their flights cancelled.... but who cares.
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Eight global firms offer services for PIA privatization
ISLAMABAD: Eight companies, including three among top 20 financial advisory firms, have responded to Pakistan’s request for a proposal to prepare plans for privatisation and bifurcation of the Pakistan International Airlines into good and bad entities.
Till expiry of the date, the Privatisation Commission received technical and financial proposals from eight financial advisory firms, said Minister for Privatisation, Fawad Hasan Fawad, on Monday.
The interest by the companies would boost the government’s privatisation efforts. There were apprehensions that financial advisers may not show keen interest due to Pakistan’s poor track record of first hiring advisers and then abandoning the transactions, including that of PIA.
Pakistan had directly sent documents to top 25 firms using the Table of League mechanism. But only three of them responded. The firms had been requested to submit proposals for creating a transaction structure for the sale of a majority stake in PIA.
Out of eight, five bids were received from those firms that had already applied against the Aviation Ministry-managed process for hiring of financial advisors for restructuring of the PIA. But the caretaker cabinet had annulled the Aviation Ministry’s process and decided to hire a single financial advisory consortium for both restructuring and privatisation of the airline.
Out of eight, three are from the top 20 firms in terms of value of the transactions. Rothschild & Co -- having handled nearly $56 billion transactions, is the top 12th financial advisory firm. The Houlihan Lokey stands at 16th number in a top 25 League Table of the financial advisors. Houlihan Lokey has handled nearly $14 billion transactions, followed by Ernest and Young -- the 17th on the ranking and has handled about $13 billion transactions.
None of the top 10 firms sent proposals for acquiring the business of making privatisation, restructuring and post privatisation debt restructuring of PIA.
Instead of following the international competitive bidding process, the government decided to directly send requests for proposal documents to top 25 firms.
In addition to the three firms, five other firms have also responded to the Ministry of Privatization’s request for financial advisers. The firms were already part of the competitive process that the Aviation Ministry had initiated for hiring of financial advisors for restructuring of PIA and its division into two entities.
They include Alvarez and Marsal, which has submitted documents as part of a consortium with Rothschild and Co.
The Ernst & Young also participated in the Aviation Ministry-run process. The other entities include Tiagra advisory and investment Services, the Investor Advisory Services (IAS), Cruise Aerospace advisory services HLV and Ijaz Tabasum advisery services and Ceabury Securities.
Fawad said that it was the decision of the federal cabinet to also send the request for proposals documents to those firms that were part of the PIA restructuring financial advisory services.
On October 6, the cabinet had approved the invocation of an emergency regulation to directly hire financial advisors for PIA privatisation, with the aim of preparing the loss-making entity for sale within the next four months.
The cabinet had decided to hire an international financial advisor by directly inviting proposals from the top 25 global financial firms, bypassing the need for open bids through advertisements. The purpose was to save time.
However, the Commission still took a month to close the process of receiving the proposals –a time that is equal to the international competitive bidding process. The Commission had sent documents on October 16th and gave 21 days for a response.
The privatisations minister said that in the next two days the technical bids would be opened and he would welcome the firms, if they want to join the process through video links.
PIA incurred losses of Rs86 billion last year, and this year’s estimate is a staggering Rs153 billion, making privatisation or grounding the airline a necessity. The government is considering selling at least 51% of the shares, along with management control, of PIA, preferably to a local investor.
One Pakistani airline has already expressed interest in acquiring PIA and formally communicated with the privatisation commission. PIA’s financial situation has deteriorated significantly and the management is already in the process of domestic debt restructuring. Without debt restructuring, PIA requires Rs13 billion per month to meet debt payments and other expenses.
The sources said that the privatisation ministry was in negotiations with the banks for arranging Rs15 billion in new loans backed by PIA’s movable assets. The PIA also wanted to borrow another Rs9 billion by utilizing the available fiscal space against sovereign guarantees.
The process of borrowing has been slowed down due to the presence of the International Monetary Fund in the town coupled with the banks’ reluctance to give fresh loans when PIA is already in the process of debt restructuring.
The interim government aims to appoint the financial adviser by mid-November and receive a preliminary report on the segregation of core PIA from non-core PIA, making it ready for bidding by the end of January.
Typically, the privatisation process, from hiring a financial advisor for transaction structure preparation to holding an open bidding, takes over a year.
The general elections have been announced for February 8th and it is now unlikely that the interim government would be able to privatize PIA in the next three months.
tribune.com.pk
ISLAMABAD: Eight companies, including three among top 20 financial advisory firms, have responded to Pakistan’s request for a proposal to prepare plans for privatisation and bifurcation of the Pakistan International Airlines into good and bad entities.
Till expiry of the date, the Privatisation Commission received technical and financial proposals from eight financial advisory firms, said Minister for Privatisation, Fawad Hasan Fawad, on Monday.
The interest by the companies would boost the government’s privatisation efforts. There were apprehensions that financial advisers may not show keen interest due to Pakistan’s poor track record of first hiring advisers and then abandoning the transactions, including that of PIA.
Pakistan had directly sent documents to top 25 firms using the Table of League mechanism. But only three of them responded. The firms had been requested to submit proposals for creating a transaction structure for the sale of a majority stake in PIA.
Out of eight, five bids were received from those firms that had already applied against the Aviation Ministry-managed process for hiring of financial advisors for restructuring of the PIA. But the caretaker cabinet had annulled the Aviation Ministry’s process and decided to hire a single financial advisory consortium for both restructuring and privatisation of the airline.
Out of eight, three are from the top 20 firms in terms of value of the transactions. Rothschild & Co -- having handled nearly $56 billion transactions, is the top 12th financial advisory firm. The Houlihan Lokey stands at 16th number in a top 25 League Table of the financial advisors. Houlihan Lokey has handled nearly $14 billion transactions, followed by Ernest and Young -- the 17th on the ranking and has handled about $13 billion transactions.
None of the top 10 firms sent proposals for acquiring the business of making privatisation, restructuring and post privatisation debt restructuring of PIA.
Instead of following the international competitive bidding process, the government decided to directly send requests for proposal documents to top 25 firms.
In addition to the three firms, five other firms have also responded to the Ministry of Privatization’s request for financial advisers. The firms were already part of the competitive process that the Aviation Ministry had initiated for hiring of financial advisors for restructuring of PIA and its division into two entities.
They include Alvarez and Marsal, which has submitted documents as part of a consortium with Rothschild and Co.
The Ernst & Young also participated in the Aviation Ministry-run process. The other entities include Tiagra advisory and investment Services, the Investor Advisory Services (IAS), Cruise Aerospace advisory services HLV and Ijaz Tabasum advisery services and Ceabury Securities.
Fawad said that it was the decision of the federal cabinet to also send the request for proposals documents to those firms that were part of the PIA restructuring financial advisory services.
On October 6, the cabinet had approved the invocation of an emergency regulation to directly hire financial advisors for PIA privatisation, with the aim of preparing the loss-making entity for sale within the next four months.
The cabinet had decided to hire an international financial advisor by directly inviting proposals from the top 25 global financial firms, bypassing the need for open bids through advertisements. The purpose was to save time.
However, the Commission still took a month to close the process of receiving the proposals –a time that is equal to the international competitive bidding process. The Commission had sent documents on October 16th and gave 21 days for a response.
The privatisations minister said that in the next two days the technical bids would be opened and he would welcome the firms, if they want to join the process through video links.
PIA incurred losses of Rs86 billion last year, and this year’s estimate is a staggering Rs153 billion, making privatisation or grounding the airline a necessity. The government is considering selling at least 51% of the shares, along with management control, of PIA, preferably to a local investor.
One Pakistani airline has already expressed interest in acquiring PIA and formally communicated with the privatisation commission. PIA’s financial situation has deteriorated significantly and the management is already in the process of domestic debt restructuring. Without debt restructuring, PIA requires Rs13 billion per month to meet debt payments and other expenses.
The sources said that the privatisation ministry was in negotiations with the banks for arranging Rs15 billion in new loans backed by PIA’s movable assets. The PIA also wanted to borrow another Rs9 billion by utilizing the available fiscal space against sovereign guarantees.
The process of borrowing has been slowed down due to the presence of the International Monetary Fund in the town coupled with the banks’ reluctance to give fresh loans when PIA is already in the process of debt restructuring.
The interim government aims to appoint the financial adviser by mid-November and receive a preliminary report on the segregation of core PIA from non-core PIA, making it ready for bidding by the end of January.
Typically, the privatisation process, from hiring a financial advisor for transaction structure preparation to holding an open bidding, takes over a year.
The general elections have been announced for February 8th and it is now unlikely that the interim government would be able to privatize PIA in the next three months.
Eight global firms offer services for PIA privatisation | The Express Tribune
Pakistan directly sent documents to top 25 firms using Table of League mechanism
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Mandviwalla decries 'lack of transparency' in PIA privatisation
PP leader and Senator Saleem Mandviwalla has raised apprehensions regarding the "selected privatisation" of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), decrying the lack of transparency in the process while fearing that the state entity might up in the hands of those affiliated with the PML-N.
Senator Mandviwalla, in an interview with a private news channel, claimed that he had come to know about a meeting on the issue that was chaired by Interim Privatisation Minister Fawad Hasan Fawad.
He alleged the attendance of PML-N leader Saad Rafique, a former railways and aviation minister, in the said meeting, questioning in which capacity Rafique attended the meeting.
Questioning the transparency of the process, Mandviwalla said, "Now you tell me what is this? You (PML-N) are saying we (PPP) agreed to the privatisation and allowed the caretaker government to do so, but if a previous minister is attending that meeting, then this is selected privatisation instead of being transparent."
He said he feared that the airline might be sold to entities of choice without due diligence, stressing the need for a more transparent and accountable privatisation process.
“There will be no transparency and then obviously, the people we will protest. We will protest politically and PIA employees, everyone, will protest. People will go to court as well,” he added.
In response to a question about the involvement of the PML-N in the privatisation process, Mandviwalla said: "[Obviously], the PML-N is doing it."
Pressing further, the senator questioned the capacity in which Saad Rafique attended the privatisation meeting.
Addressing concerns about the perception that the airline might be sold to individuals affiliated with the PML-N, Senator Mandviwalla asserted, "This is not a mere perception but a fact."
He suggested that the privatisation process seemed tailored to favour a specific buyer, alleging, "When you do privatisation like this, then you must have prepared a buyer and done an agreement with them that 'no one else will bid in the privatisation so we will give it to you.'"
Emphasising the PPP's stance, Mandviwalla asserted that privatisation conducted in such a manner would be deemed unacceptable by his party, and they would actively protest against it.
tribune.com.pk
PP leader and Senator Saleem Mandviwalla has raised apprehensions regarding the "selected privatisation" of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), decrying the lack of transparency in the process while fearing that the state entity might up in the hands of those affiliated with the PML-N.
Senator Mandviwalla, in an interview with a private news channel, claimed that he had come to know about a meeting on the issue that was chaired by Interim Privatisation Minister Fawad Hasan Fawad.
He alleged the attendance of PML-N leader Saad Rafique, a former railways and aviation minister, in the said meeting, questioning in which capacity Rafique attended the meeting.
Questioning the transparency of the process, Mandviwalla said, "Now you tell me what is this? You (PML-N) are saying we (PPP) agreed to the privatisation and allowed the caretaker government to do so, but if a previous minister is attending that meeting, then this is selected privatisation instead of being transparent."
He said he feared that the airline might be sold to entities of choice without due diligence, stressing the need for a more transparent and accountable privatisation process.
“There will be no transparency and then obviously, the people we will protest. We will protest politically and PIA employees, everyone, will protest. People will go to court as well,” he added.
In response to a question about the involvement of the PML-N in the privatisation process, Mandviwalla said: "[Obviously], the PML-N is doing it."
Pressing further, the senator questioned the capacity in which Saad Rafique attended the privatisation meeting.
Addressing concerns about the perception that the airline might be sold to individuals affiliated with the PML-N, Senator Mandviwalla asserted, "This is not a mere perception but a fact."
He suggested that the privatisation process seemed tailored to favour a specific buyer, alleging, "When you do privatisation like this, then you must have prepared a buyer and done an agreement with them that 'no one else will bid in the privatisation so we will give it to you.'"
Emphasising the PPP's stance, Mandviwalla asserted that privatisation conducted in such a manner would be deemed unacceptable by his party, and they would actively protest against it.
Mandviwalla decries 'lack of transparency' in PIA privatisation | The Express Tribune
Sees PML-N’s involvement in ‘selected’ privatisation
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What is wrong with Pakistan? Broken on so many different levels. The government, economy, PIA and the cricket team.
It's truly a miracle the country still exists.
It's truly a miracle the country still exists.
FearlessRoar
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PIA blames Canada for the disappearance of its flight attendants
Last week, two flight attendants of the national airline went missing after arriving in Toronto on a Canadian-bound flight.
Last week, two flight attendants of the national airline went missing after arriving in Toronto on a Canadian-bound flight.
In an interview with Arab media, PIA spokesperson Abdullah Khan said that two flight attendants disappeared when the flight arrived in Toronto.
He said that flight attendants Khalid Mehmood and Fida Hussain had gone to Canada from Islamabad on PK 772 on November 10 but failed to report back before the flight departed from Toronto.
The airline informed local authorities in Canada about the incident and launched a departmental inquiry against the missing employees that could lead to the termination of their services.
He further said that 8 PIA employees have gone missing in Canada over the past two years due to its flexible asylum policy.
It should be noted that the number of Pakistanis trying to reach the developed countries of Europe and North America to improve their economic conditions by illegal methods has increased significantly.
This year, a boat carrying 750 illegal immigrants, including 350 Pakistanis, sank near Greece.
The recent disappearance of PIA employees in Canada suggests that youth with better jobs in the country are also moving out of the country.
Four PIA cabin crew members went missing in the same manner last year, while four more managed to disappear in 2023, the spokesperson said.
He added that because of the Canadian government’s overly flexible asylum program, we typically terminate the services of such individuals for PIA.. It may be noted that the national airline has imposed strict rules for flight attendants traveling to Canada and European countries, including setting an age limit of over 50 years for cabin crew members.
Source: AAJ News
Last week, two flight attendants of the national airline went missing after arriving in Toronto on a Canadian-bound flight.
Last week, two flight attendants of the national airline went missing after arriving in Toronto on a Canadian-bound flight.
In an interview with Arab media, PIA spokesperson Abdullah Khan said that two flight attendants disappeared when the flight arrived in Toronto.
He said that flight attendants Khalid Mehmood and Fida Hussain had gone to Canada from Islamabad on PK 772 on November 10 but failed to report back before the flight departed from Toronto.
The airline informed local authorities in Canada about the incident and launched a departmental inquiry against the missing employees that could lead to the termination of their services.
He further said that 8 PIA employees have gone missing in Canada over the past two years due to its flexible asylum policy.
It should be noted that the number of Pakistanis trying to reach the developed countries of Europe and North America to improve their economic conditions by illegal methods has increased significantly.
This year, a boat carrying 750 illegal immigrants, including 350 Pakistanis, sank near Greece.
The recent disappearance of PIA employees in Canada suggests that youth with better jobs in the country are also moving out of the country.
Four PIA cabin crew members went missing in the same manner last year, while four more managed to disappear in 2023, the spokesperson said.
He added that because of the Canadian government’s overly flexible asylum program, we typically terminate the services of such individuals for PIA.. It may be noted that the national airline has imposed strict rules for flight attendants traveling to Canada and European countries, including setting an age limit of over 50 years for cabin crew members.
Source: AAJ News
PIA blames Canada for the disappearance of its flight attendants
Last week, two flight attendants of the national airline went missing after arriving in Toronto on a Canadian-bound flight.
www.aajenglish.tv
FearlessRoar
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PIA blames Canada for the disappearance of its flight attendants
Last week, two flight attendants of the national airline went missing after arriving in Toronto on a Canadian-bound flight.
Last week, two flight attendants of the national airline went missing after arriving in Toronto on a Canadian-bound flight.
In an interview with Arab media, PIA spokesperson Abdullah Khan said that two flight attendants disappeared when the flight arrived in Toronto.
He said that flight attendants Khalid Mehmood and Fida Hussain had gone to Canada from Islamabad on PK 772 on November 10 but failed to report back before the flight departed from Toronto.
The airline informed local authorities in Canada about the incident and launched a departmental inquiry against the missing employees that could lead to the termination of their services.
He further said that 8 PIA employees have gone missing in Canada over the past two years due to its flexible asylum policy.
It should be noted that the number of Pakistanis trying to reach the developed countries of Europe and North America to improve their economic conditions by illegal methods has increased significantly.
This year, a boat carrying 750 illegal immigrants, including 350 Pakistanis, sank near Greece.
The recent disappearance of PIA employees in Canada suggests that youth with better jobs in the country are also moving out of the country.
Four PIA cabin crew members went missing in the same manner last year, while four more managed to disappear in 2023, the spokesperson said.
He added that because of the Canadian government’s overly flexible asylum program, we typically terminate the services of such individuals for PIA.. It may be noted that the national airline has imposed strict rules for flight attendants traveling to Canada and European countries, including setting an age limit of over 50 years for cabin crew members.
Source: AAJ News
PIA blames Canada for the disappearance of its flight attendants
Last week, two flight attendants of the national airline went missing after arriving in Toronto on a Canadian-bound flight.www.aajenglish.tv
How can they blame Canada for its flexible asylum rules? It is a mistake of PIA to fail to deal with its employees properly, including hiring professional and dedicated staff. Ensuring check and balance about the staff to make sure they report back before departure is the responsibility of Pakistan International Airlines.
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Saudi Arabia suspends fuel supply to PIA
The fuel supply has been suspended to the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) planes at two major airports in Saudi Arabia, citing sources, ARY News reported on Tuesday.
The fuel supply to the PIA planes has been suspended at two major airports in Saudi Arabia, Makkah and Madinah, due to non-payment of dues, sources told ARY News.
Sources added that the PIA flights were delayed for three to four hours due to the halt in fuel supply at Makkah and Madinah airports.
The PIA spokesperson confirmed the development. In a statement, the PIA spokesperson clarified that swift payments were made to the concerned oil companies.
It added that the fuel supply was temporarily suspended due to a delay in the transfer of funds to the oil firms’ accounts. The spokesperson said that the fuel supply would be resumed soon after the completion of the transactions.
The national flag carrier had already suffered a huge financial loss due to a days-long halt in fuel supply locally in October after the Pakistan State Oil (PSO) rejected to continue supplies due to non-payment of dues.
In October, Pakistan International Airlines had suffered a ‘loss’ of Rs10 billion due to the current fuel crisis that led to the suspension of over 800 flights.
arynews.tv
The fuel supply has been suspended to the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) planes at two major airports in Saudi Arabia, citing sources, ARY News reported on Tuesday.
The fuel supply to the PIA planes has been suspended at two major airports in Saudi Arabia, Makkah and Madinah, due to non-payment of dues, sources told ARY News.
Sources added that the PIA flights were delayed for three to four hours due to the halt in fuel supply at Makkah and Madinah airports.
The PIA spokesperson confirmed the development. In a statement, the PIA spokesperson clarified that swift payments were made to the concerned oil companies.
It added that the fuel supply was temporarily suspended due to a delay in the transfer of funds to the oil firms’ accounts. The spokesperson said that the fuel supply would be resumed soon after the completion of the transactions.
The national flag carrier had already suffered a huge financial loss due to a days-long halt in fuel supply locally in October after the Pakistan State Oil (PSO) rejected to continue supplies due to non-payment of dues.
In October, Pakistan International Airlines had suffered a ‘loss’ of Rs10 billion due to the current fuel crisis that led to the suspension of over 800 flights.
Saudi Arabia suspends fuel supply to PIA
The fuel supply has been suspended to the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) planes at two major airports in Saudi Arabia, citing sources, ARY News
arynews.tv
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Why dont they privatize and get rid of this big white elephant which is good for nothing.Saudi Arabia suspends fuel supply to PIA
The fuel supply has been suspended to the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) planes at two major airports in Saudi Arabia, citing sources, ARY News reported on Tuesday.
The fuel supply to the PIA planes has been suspended at two major airports in Saudi Arabia, Makkah and Madinah, due to non-payment of dues, sources told ARY News.
Sources added that the PIA flights were delayed for three to four hours due to the halt in fuel supply at Makkah and Madinah airports.
The PIA spokesperson confirmed the development. In a statement, the PIA spokesperson clarified that swift payments were made to the concerned oil companies.
It added that the fuel supply was temporarily suspended due to a delay in the transfer of funds to the oil firms’ accounts. The spokesperson said that the fuel supply would be resumed soon after the completion of the transactions.
The national flag carrier had already suffered a huge financial loss due to a days-long halt in fuel supply locally in October after the Pakistan State Oil (PSO) rejected to continue supplies due to non-payment of dues.
In October, Pakistan International Airlines had suffered a ‘loss’ of Rs10 billion due to the current fuel crisis that led to the suspension of over 800 flights.
Saudi Arabia suspends fuel supply to PIA
The fuel supply has been suspended to the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) planes at two major airports in Saudi Arabia, citing sources, ARY News
shortbread
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Among the myriad of challenges, the first problem is that who'll own the current debt, the new buyer or the seller, ie. Pakistan?
Right now debt outweighs the value of PIA.
It's only after one overcomes this massive challenge can we progress to the next set of hurdles like the huge headcount, entitled employees, ministerial freebies, archaic fleet etc... etc... plus the big one, the buyer will not be Pakistani (lack of deep pockets in the pvt. sector), can the government digest/justify PIA being under international ownership?
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FBR freezes PIA bank accounts for failing to pay taxes: sources
The Federal Board of Revenue on Wednesday froze the bank accounts of Pakistan International Airlines for failing to pay taxes worth billions, sources said.
The national flag carrier is due to pay around Rs4.5 billion in taxes while it has also failed to file tax returns since February of the ongoing year, they added.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan State Oil (PSO) has also demanded the immediate payment of Rs1.5 billion from the PIA and threatened to stop supplying fuel to its airplanes over non-payment of dues.
The airline has accumulated billions of dollars in losses and liabilities, which the caretaker government says it can no longer fund and had been in dispute with the PSO over payments.
In September, the PSO said that “to further support the national carrier” it had extended the credit facility by Rs500 million ($1.82 million). It added the PIA’s outstanding balance to the PSO was Rs26.8 billion ($97.37 million).
The PSO had earlier suspended the credit facility, and the PIA had been paying Rs100 million against daily purchase of fuel.
It is the second time in five months that the FBR froze the accounts of the PIA after the airline failed to pay its taxes.
In July this year, FBR sources said that PIA owes Rs4 billion in taxes which had already been collected from customers as Federal Excise Duty but was never handed over the tax body.
The Federal Board of Revenue on Wednesday froze the bank accounts of Pakistan International Airlines for failing to pay taxes worth billions, sources said.
The national flag carrier is due to pay around Rs4.5 billion in taxes while it has also failed to file tax returns since February of the ongoing year, they added.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan State Oil (PSO) has also demanded the immediate payment of Rs1.5 billion from the PIA and threatened to stop supplying fuel to its airplanes over non-payment of dues.
The airline has accumulated billions of dollars in losses and liabilities, which the caretaker government says it can no longer fund and had been in dispute with the PSO over payments.
In September, the PSO said that “to further support the national carrier” it had extended the credit facility by Rs500 million ($1.82 million). It added the PIA’s outstanding balance to the PSO was Rs26.8 billion ($97.37 million).
The PSO had earlier suspended the credit facility, and the PIA had been paying Rs100 million against daily purchase of fuel.
It is the second time in five months that the FBR froze the accounts of the PIA after the airline failed to pay its taxes.
In July this year, FBR sources said that PIA owes Rs4 billion in taxes which had already been collected from customers as Federal Excise Duty but was never handed over the tax body.
FBR freezes PIA bank accounts for failing to pay taxes: sources
They say the national flag carrier has not filed tax returns since Feb
www.aajenglish.tv
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Another PIA steward 'disappears' in Canada
Another Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight attendant has gone missing in Canada following the arrival of the national airline's flight from Lahore to Toronto.
Junaid Qureshi, the flight steward in question, was part of the flight crew travelling from Lahore to Toronto on Thursday.
However, upon arrival, he did not appear for his scheduled return flight to Pakistan on Saturday.
The incident marks the third instance this year of a PIA flight attendant allegedly 'disappearing' in Canada.
The management has taken action by suspending the flight attendant and has communicated with Canadian authorities, urging them to take appropriate measures in response to the situation.
Earlier last month, after a PIA flight from Islamabad landed in Toronto, two of the airline's flight attendants, Khalid Afridi and Fida Shah, went missing in Canada.
Numerous flight attendants from the national airline, including both female and male cabin crew, have reportedly gone missing abroad.
tribune.com.pk
Another Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight attendant has gone missing in Canada following the arrival of the national airline's flight from Lahore to Toronto.
Junaid Qureshi, the flight steward in question, was part of the flight crew travelling from Lahore to Toronto on Thursday.
However, upon arrival, he did not appear for his scheduled return flight to Pakistan on Saturday.
The incident marks the third instance this year of a PIA flight attendant allegedly 'disappearing' in Canada.
The management has taken action by suspending the flight attendant and has communicated with Canadian authorities, urging them to take appropriate measures in response to the situation.
Earlier last month, after a PIA flight from Islamabad landed in Toronto, two of the airline's flight attendants, Khalid Afridi and Fida Shah, went missing in Canada.
Numerous flight attendants from the national airline, including both female and male cabin crew, have reportedly gone missing abroad.
Another PIA steward 'disappears' in Canada | The Express Tribune
National airline suspends flight attendant, urges Toronto authorities to take action
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Govt, banks at stalemate over PIA debt restructuring
The government and commercial banks have failed to break an impasse over the restructuring of Pakistan International Airlines’ (PIA) Rs260 billion debt, compelling authorities to grant yet another extension to a committee attempting to find a solution.
Sources from the Privatisation Ministry stated that Finance Minister Dr Shamshad Akhtar has not accepted any of the three proposals presented by commercial banks for debt restructuring. Essentially, what the banks proposed was not restructuring but converting the debt into another form without taking any haircut, they added.
On October 23, Akhtar had set up the technical committee under the chairmanship of the Secretary Privatisation Commission, Usman Bajwa. The committee had been tasked with arranging a new Rs15 billion loan for PIA and restructuring the old debt of Rs260 billion. The Bajwa-led committee has failed to achieve any of these objectives.
The sources mentioned that the banks had proposed that the government convert their debt into Pakistan Investment Bonds (PIB), provide zero-coupon security papers for paying both interest and principals after a certain period, or park the money in a new holding company and service it regularly.
These options were not acceptable to the Ministry of Finance, which has now given another two-week deadline to the technical committee without changing its terms of references, said the sources. When contacted, the spokesman for the Finance Ministry, Qamar Abbasi, said that the Technical Committee has not concluded its deliberations yet. Abbasi said that various proposals were under consideration, and no final recommendations have been made so far.
Bajwa did not respond to questions regarding the recommendations submitted to the finance minister and whether the minister has rejected those recommendations. In October, the government and representatives of commercial banks had initiated discussions to prepare a plan for debt restructuring.
The 12-member committee consists of an equal number of representatives from the federal government and commercial banks. The committee was supposed to come out with the debt restructuring plan by November 8th.
Bajwa had played a role in securing a Rs200 billion fuel relief package from the finance ministry that former Prime Minister Imran Khan had given in February 2022.
The committee includes members from the corporate and investment banking divisions of several banks, including HBL, NBP, Bank of Punjab, Meezan Bank, Askari Bank, and Faysal Bank. As of the end of August, these six banks have collectively provided Rs230 billion in loans to PIA, including Rs193 billion in domestic debt.
There has also not been any breakthrough on the second important task of the committee - arranging the Rs15 billion in new commercial loans for PIA. The banks were reluctant to extend any new loans to PIA until the resolution of the outstanding stock of the debt.
Bajwa did not respond to questions about the way forward after the finance minister’s refusal to endorse the plan and the reasons behind not securing the Rs15 billion loans from banks so far. In September, PIA had requested a moratorium on its Rs260 billion domestic debt repayments to address an annual deficit of Rs153 billion, which is the shortfall between its sales and essential expenditures.
PIA requires Rs3.1 billion per month to service its external debt of Rs109 billion and Rs7.5 billion for servicing its domestic debt of Rs260 billion as of the end of August. The Bank of Punjab has the largest exposure, with over Rs56 billion in loans to PIA, followed by Askari Bank Limited with Rs43 billion, JS Bank with Rs34 billion, NBP with Rs33 billion, Faysal Bank with Rs32 billion, Habib Bank Limited with Rs29 billion, and Bank Islami with Rs22 billion. Albaraka Bank has provided a Rs9 billion loan, and Soneri Bank’s exposure to PIA is Rs5 billion, according to sources.
The government’s plan to privatise PIA is moving at a slow pace, although the privatisation ministry had invoked an emergency clause to hire a financial advisor for preparing the transaction structure for privatisation. The Financial Advisory Service Agreement with the Ernst & Young led consortium was signed as late as November 28th. The other partners of the consortium are Bauer Aviation Advisory, Haidermota & Co, Freshfield Bruckhaus Deringer, Nutshell, and Knight Frank.
As per the agreement, the consortium is required to begin its work within five days after signing the contract.
The timelines suggest that the consortium would need about two months to separate the core and non-core assets and liabilities of PIA. The government wants to sell the core assets, including basic engineering services and routes, to the bidders.
The privatisation ministry had given an end-January timeline to Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) for privatisation, which now seems highly ambitious.
PIA’s global routes are considered to be highly pricey and would be the key factor in getting the maximum price, whenever privatisation takes place.
tribune.com.pk
The government and commercial banks have failed to break an impasse over the restructuring of Pakistan International Airlines’ (PIA) Rs260 billion debt, compelling authorities to grant yet another extension to a committee attempting to find a solution.
Sources from the Privatisation Ministry stated that Finance Minister Dr Shamshad Akhtar has not accepted any of the three proposals presented by commercial banks for debt restructuring. Essentially, what the banks proposed was not restructuring but converting the debt into another form without taking any haircut, they added.
On October 23, Akhtar had set up the technical committee under the chairmanship of the Secretary Privatisation Commission, Usman Bajwa. The committee had been tasked with arranging a new Rs15 billion loan for PIA and restructuring the old debt of Rs260 billion. The Bajwa-led committee has failed to achieve any of these objectives.
The sources mentioned that the banks had proposed that the government convert their debt into Pakistan Investment Bonds (PIB), provide zero-coupon security papers for paying both interest and principals after a certain period, or park the money in a new holding company and service it regularly.
These options were not acceptable to the Ministry of Finance, which has now given another two-week deadline to the technical committee without changing its terms of references, said the sources. When contacted, the spokesman for the Finance Ministry, Qamar Abbasi, said that the Technical Committee has not concluded its deliberations yet. Abbasi said that various proposals were under consideration, and no final recommendations have been made so far.
Bajwa did not respond to questions regarding the recommendations submitted to the finance minister and whether the minister has rejected those recommendations. In October, the government and representatives of commercial banks had initiated discussions to prepare a plan for debt restructuring.
The 12-member committee consists of an equal number of representatives from the federal government and commercial banks. The committee was supposed to come out with the debt restructuring plan by November 8th.
Bajwa had played a role in securing a Rs200 billion fuel relief package from the finance ministry that former Prime Minister Imran Khan had given in February 2022.
The committee includes members from the corporate and investment banking divisions of several banks, including HBL, NBP, Bank of Punjab, Meezan Bank, Askari Bank, and Faysal Bank. As of the end of August, these six banks have collectively provided Rs230 billion in loans to PIA, including Rs193 billion in domestic debt.
There has also not been any breakthrough on the second important task of the committee - arranging the Rs15 billion in new commercial loans for PIA. The banks were reluctant to extend any new loans to PIA until the resolution of the outstanding stock of the debt.
Bajwa did not respond to questions about the way forward after the finance minister’s refusal to endorse the plan and the reasons behind not securing the Rs15 billion loans from banks so far. In September, PIA had requested a moratorium on its Rs260 billion domestic debt repayments to address an annual deficit of Rs153 billion, which is the shortfall between its sales and essential expenditures.
PIA requires Rs3.1 billion per month to service its external debt of Rs109 billion and Rs7.5 billion for servicing its domestic debt of Rs260 billion as of the end of August. The Bank of Punjab has the largest exposure, with over Rs56 billion in loans to PIA, followed by Askari Bank Limited with Rs43 billion, JS Bank with Rs34 billion, NBP with Rs33 billion, Faysal Bank with Rs32 billion, Habib Bank Limited with Rs29 billion, and Bank Islami with Rs22 billion. Albaraka Bank has provided a Rs9 billion loan, and Soneri Bank’s exposure to PIA is Rs5 billion, according to sources.
The government’s plan to privatise PIA is moving at a slow pace, although the privatisation ministry had invoked an emergency clause to hire a financial advisor for preparing the transaction structure for privatisation. The Financial Advisory Service Agreement with the Ernst & Young led consortium was signed as late as November 28th. The other partners of the consortium are Bauer Aviation Advisory, Haidermota & Co, Freshfield Bruckhaus Deringer, Nutshell, and Knight Frank.
As per the agreement, the consortium is required to begin its work within five days after signing the contract.
The timelines suggest that the consortium would need about two months to separate the core and non-core assets and liabilities of PIA. The government wants to sell the core assets, including basic engineering services and routes, to the bidders.
The privatisation ministry had given an end-January timeline to Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) for privatisation, which now seems highly ambitious.
PIA’s global routes are considered to be highly pricey and would be the key factor in getting the maximum price, whenever privatisation takes place.
Govt, banks at stalemate over PIA debt restructuring | The Express Tribune
Finance minister rejects proposals, extends deadline for technical committee
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PIA gets back one of two stranded planes in Indonesia
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) got back one of its stuck planes in Jakarta, Indonesia due to a lease dispute, ARY News reported on Wednesday.
The planes were stuck in Indonesia over a lease dispute for two years.
As per details, Airbus 320 flew back to Pakistan from Jakarta via Bangkok at 10:30 pm on Tuesday.
Senior officials of PIA management received the aircraft, which has now again become part of the PIA fleet. The other one, an Airbus A320 stranded in Indonesia is expected to reach Pakistan within a couple of days.
With the induction of Airbus A320 in the PIA flight, the total number of Airbus has reached 16.
The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has paid $26 million to the leasing company.
arynews.tv
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) got back one of its stuck planes in Jakarta, Indonesia due to a lease dispute, ARY News reported on Wednesday.
The planes were stuck in Indonesia over a lease dispute for two years.
As per details, Airbus 320 flew back to Pakistan from Jakarta via Bangkok at 10:30 pm on Tuesday.
Senior officials of PIA management received the aircraft, which has now again become part of the PIA fleet. The other one, an Airbus A320 stranded in Indonesia is expected to reach Pakistan within a couple of days.
With the induction of Airbus A320 in the PIA flight, the total number of Airbus has reached 16.
The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has paid $26 million to the leasing company.
PIA gets back one of two stranded planes in Indonesia
KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) got back one of its stuck planes in Jakarta, Indonesia due to a lease dispute, ARY News reported on
arynews.tv
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PC board approves rules to accelerate PIA privatisation
The Privatisation Commission (PC) board has approved new rules to sell state entities through direct negotiations to foreign nations after setting their minimum price under a competitive process – in a move that will help fast-track the sale of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
The privatisation ministry announced this week that the board had approved draft of the Privatisation Commission (Government to Government Agreement Mode – Manner and Procedure) Rules, 2023. The new rules minimise procedural requirements for selling any entity.
Under the existing competitive route, it takes about 462 days on average to privatise an asset – a long time for an entity like PIA that is losing billions of rupees. The estimated annual losses of PIA are Rs153 billion.
The interim government wants to privatise PIA but the PC route will not help to achieve the objective soon.
The Government to Government Agreement Mode – Manner and Procedure Rules 2023 has created a bridge between the Privatisation Ordinance 2000 and the Intergovernmental Commercial Transactions Act of 2022. The Privatisation Ordinance authorises sale of state assets through a competitive and open bidding process but the 2023 law allows the sale of assets under a negotiated deal with foreign nations.
The new arrangement, if endorsed by the Cabinet Committee on Legislative Cases (CCLC), will create a bridge to toss an entity picked for privatisation to a cabinet committee authorised to negotiate a deal instead of holding open bidding.
The government has already hired a financial adviser to privatise PIA that is expected to submit an amalgamation report by next month. The privatisation ministry is also keen to issue Expressions of Interest (EOIs) next month to invite investors to take part in PIA privatisation.
The financial adviser has been hired at a price of less than $7 million and it will get 30% of fee after privatisation.
In order to save time, PIA’s case can be sent to the Intergovernmental Transactions Committee, according to sources in the Ministry of Privatisation.
It is the second major move that the privatisation ministry has made after promulgation of the Privatisation Ordinance to end the role of high courts in privatisation transactions aimed at avoiding legal hitches.
The approved rules showed that a financial adviser would be hired under the 2000 ordinance and the procedure for a government-to-government agreement mode of privatisation for legal, technical and financial due diligence of the property being privatised.
tribune.com.pk
The Privatisation Commission (PC) board has approved new rules to sell state entities through direct negotiations to foreign nations after setting their minimum price under a competitive process – in a move that will help fast-track the sale of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
The privatisation ministry announced this week that the board had approved draft of the Privatisation Commission (Government to Government Agreement Mode – Manner and Procedure) Rules, 2023. The new rules minimise procedural requirements for selling any entity.
Under the existing competitive route, it takes about 462 days on average to privatise an asset – a long time for an entity like PIA that is losing billions of rupees. The estimated annual losses of PIA are Rs153 billion.
The interim government wants to privatise PIA but the PC route will not help to achieve the objective soon.
The Government to Government Agreement Mode – Manner and Procedure Rules 2023 has created a bridge between the Privatisation Ordinance 2000 and the Intergovernmental Commercial Transactions Act of 2022. The Privatisation Ordinance authorises sale of state assets through a competitive and open bidding process but the 2023 law allows the sale of assets under a negotiated deal with foreign nations.
The new arrangement, if endorsed by the Cabinet Committee on Legislative Cases (CCLC), will create a bridge to toss an entity picked for privatisation to a cabinet committee authorised to negotiate a deal instead of holding open bidding.
The government has already hired a financial adviser to privatise PIA that is expected to submit an amalgamation report by next month. The privatisation ministry is also keen to issue Expressions of Interest (EOIs) next month to invite investors to take part in PIA privatisation.
The financial adviser has been hired at a price of less than $7 million and it will get 30% of fee after privatisation.
In order to save time, PIA’s case can be sent to the Intergovernmental Transactions Committee, according to sources in the Ministry of Privatisation.
It is the second major move that the privatisation ministry has made after promulgation of the Privatisation Ordinance to end the role of high courts in privatisation transactions aimed at avoiding legal hitches.
The approved rules showed that a financial adviser would be hired under the 2000 ordinance and the procedure for a government-to-government agreement mode of privatisation for legal, technical and financial due diligence of the property being privatised.
PC board approves rules to accelerate PIA privatisation | The Express Tribune
Under new rules, state assets can be sold to foreign nations via direct negotiations
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PIA operating with half its fleet amid financial woes
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is operating at half of its capacity, with only 15 of its 29 modern aircraft currently in service, officials said.
This reduction came as the national flag carrier recently grounded 14 aircraft after financial constraints prevented it from buying necessary spare parts.
According to official sources, PIA’s operational fleet now comprises six Boeing 777 wide-body twin-engine aeroplanes, eight Airbus A320 narrow-body jets for short/medium haul routes, and one ATR aircraft.
This ATR has been particularly valuable for PIA, facilitating access to remote destinations across the country. However, the airline’s ability to provide such services has been hindered by the ongoing financial challenges.
Adding to PIA’s woes, two of its Airbus A320 aircraft were stranded in Indonesia since September 2021 due to a leasing dispute. Recently, one of these aircraft was retrieved and reintegrated into the fleet following a visit by a high-level PIA delegation and the aviation secretary in October.
The airline anticipates the return of the second stranded Airbus A320 by the end of this month, after settling outstanding payments with the leasing company.
A PIA spokesperson highlighted the acute funding shortages impacting the airline, leading to the grounding of several aircraft needing spare parts and maintenance. “With the government’s help, we hope to secure some crucial funding that will revive the majority of PIA’s fleet,” he said.
Meanwhile, PIA’s operations have been further disrupted by low visibility and heavy fog, particularly affecting flights from and to Lahore, Multan and Sialkot.
The PIA spokesperson advised passengers to check flight statuses with the airline’s call centre before heading to the airport.
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is operating at half of its capacity, with only 15 of its 29 modern aircraft currently in service, officials said.
This reduction came as the national flag carrier recently grounded 14 aircraft after financial constraints prevented it from buying necessary spare parts.
According to official sources, PIA’s operational fleet now comprises six Boeing 777 wide-body twin-engine aeroplanes, eight Airbus A320 narrow-body jets for short/medium haul routes, and one ATR aircraft.
This ATR has been particularly valuable for PIA, facilitating access to remote destinations across the country. However, the airline’s ability to provide such services has been hindered by the ongoing financial challenges.
Adding to PIA’s woes, two of its Airbus A320 aircraft were stranded in Indonesia since September 2021 due to a leasing dispute. Recently, one of these aircraft was retrieved and reintegrated into the fleet following a visit by a high-level PIA delegation and the aviation secretary in October.
The airline anticipates the return of the second stranded Airbus A320 by the end of this month, after settling outstanding payments with the leasing company.
A PIA spokesperson highlighted the acute funding shortages impacting the airline, leading to the grounding of several aircraft needing spare parts and maintenance. “With the government’s help, we hope to secure some crucial funding that will revive the majority of PIA’s fleet,” he said.
Meanwhile, PIA’s operations have been further disrupted by low visibility and heavy fog, particularly affecting flights from and to Lahore, Multan and Sialkot.
The PIA spokesperson advised passengers to check flight statuses with the airline’s call centre before heading to the airport.
PIA operating with half its fleet amid financial woes
With the govt's help, we hope to secure some crucial funding that will revive the majority of PIA’s fleet, says spokesperson.
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Legal formalities completed for PIA privatisation, says minister
ISLAMABAD (APP) – Caretaker Privatisation Minister Fawad Hassan Fawad on Saturday said that all the legal formalities had been completed for the privatisation of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
Talking to a private news channel, the minister outlined various stages of the process for PIA’s privatisation, and said that the Privatisation Commission was diligently executing the task.
Fawad said that in order to ensure transparency in PIA’s privatisation, the representatives of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), besides the ministries of education, law and finance had also been taken on board.
Fawad said the caretaker government was carrying out the privatisation under the constitutional amendments enacted by the previous elected government. The decision to this effect was taken by the then government to prevent further deterioration of the economy, he added.
The minister rejected rumours of negotiations about buying of the PIA by a foreign government, saying such baseless allegations were being levelled by certain elements for their vested interests.
To a question, Fawad said that the caretaker federal cabinet would ensure that no employee of the PIA was unjustly deprived of their legitimate rights. He said the problems were being faced by the national airline due to governance issues, financial mismanagement and appointment of individuals ill-equipped to manage the aviation industry.
He underscored the urgent need for reforms to prevent further deterioration of public institutions, including the PIA.
To a query, the minister said the general elections would be held on the scheduled date of February 8 and the caretaker government was extending full support to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for the polls.
Source: Dunya News
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I hope this privatization will make PIA profitable and provide better facilities to the passengers.
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In first such incident of 2024, PIA air hostess slips in Canada
The incidents of the PIA air hostess and cabin crew members slipping have been accelerated amid clouds of uncertainty prevailed on the national airline in the backdrop of the privatisation process.
Five crew members slipped in 2022 and seven in 2023 on overseas flights while most of PIA's air hostesses have slipped in Canada.
PIA spokesman admitted that no slipped air hostess was brought back to Pakistan. The first PIA crew member of 2024 also went missing in Canada yesterday, wherein air hostess Faiza Mukhtar, posted on PIA's Toronto flight, allegedly slipped.
PIA said the incident came into the knowledge when Faiza Mukhtar alleged did not report to the staff.
The PIA spokesperson said that departmental disciplinary action has been initiated against Faiza Mukhtar as affidavits of air hostesses are available with the national carrier and FIA will also be contacted.
www.samaa.tv
The incidents of the PIA air hostess and cabin crew members slipping have been accelerated amid clouds of uncertainty prevailed on the national airline in the backdrop of the privatisation process.
Five crew members slipped in 2022 and seven in 2023 on overseas flights while most of PIA's air hostesses have slipped in Canada.
PIA spokesman admitted that no slipped air hostess was brought back to Pakistan. The first PIA crew member of 2024 also went missing in Canada yesterday, wherein air hostess Faiza Mukhtar, posted on PIA's Toronto flight, allegedly slipped.
PIA said the incident came into the knowledge when Faiza Mukhtar alleged did not report to the staff.
The PIA spokesperson said that departmental disciplinary action has been initiated against Faiza Mukhtar as affidavits of air hostesses are available with the national carrier and FIA will also be contacted.
In first such incident of 2024, PIA air hostess slips in Canada
Five crew members slipped in 2022 and seven in 2023 on overseas flights
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Interim govt seals plan to privatise PIA
The caretaker government was making “binding plans” for the incoming government after the February 8 elections to privatise the loss-making Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Privatisation Minister Fawad Hasan Fawad said on Friday.
In the past, elected governments have shied away from undertaking unpopular reforms, including the sale of the national-flag carrier. However, in June, the then coalition government agreed to overhaul loss-making state-owned enterprises under a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The government, then led by Shehbaz Sharif, decided to privatise PIA just weeks after signing the IMF agreement. The caretaker government, which took office in August, was empowered by the outgoing parliament to take any steps needed to meet the budgetary targets agreed with the IMF.
“Our job is 98% done,” Fawad told Reuters when asked about the plan to sell the airline. “The remaining 2% is just to bring it on an excel sheet after the cabinet approves it,” he said, adding that the cabinet would also decide whether to sell the stake by tender or through a government-to-government deal.
Fawad said the plan, drawn up by transaction adviser Ernst & Young, would be presented to the cabinet for approval before the tenure of the administration ends following the election. “What we have done in just four months is what past governments have been trying to do for over a decade,” Fawad said.
“There is no looking back,” Fawad added. He did not give specific details of the size of the stake to be sold, but two sources said that a 51% stake with full management control would be offered to buyers after parking the airline’s debts in a separate entity, under the 1100-page report from Ernst & Young.
PIA had liabilities of Rs785 billion and accumulated losses of Rs713 billion as of June last year. Its chief executive officer (CEO) had said that the losses in 2023 were likely to be Rs112 billion. Fawad confirmed the PIA privatisation plan involved its debts being spun off into a separate entity.
Progress on the privatisation will be a key issue if the incoming government goes back to the IMF once the current bailout programme expires in March. Caretaker Finance Minister Shamshad Akhtar told reporters last year that Pakistan would have to remain in IMF programmes after its expiry.
Besides operational and technical measures for PIA’s divestment, the caretaker government has also amended a 2016 law that had blocked selling off its majority shares, according to a draft posted on the Pakistan parliament’s website.
Ishaq Dar, who was the finance minister when Shehbaz was the prime minister and has been named by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to retain the portfolio if it forms the next government, told Reuters that the sale of PIA will be fast-tracked. “It will, God willing, move ahead with fast speed.”
In a report in mid-January, the IMF expressed satisfaction over the measures initiated by the caretaker government to accelerate reforms of state-owned enterprises, specifically mentioning the amendment of the PIA privatisation law.
Under the privatisation plan submitted by Ernst & Young to the government on December 27, government-guaranteed legacy debt and payables – which are held by a consortium of seven domestic banks – would be parked in a holding company, Fawad and two sources involved in the process said.
Fawad said the government and the consortium had an agreement in place regarding the settlement of the legacy debt, which includes negative equity of Rs825 billions in loans, creditors’ money and the losses. He provided no further details.
The sources had earlier said the banks wanted a five-year bond issued against the debt with a 16.5% coupon on the paper, while the finance ministry was offering only 10%. The banks have not commented on the deal.
Besides its losses, PIA’s safety standards have been questioned by global aviation authorities for some years. In early 2020, Czech and Hungarian air force jets were scrambled to intercept a PIA flight with 300 people on board as it went astray due to an “avoidable human error” by its pilot.
In May that year, the crash of a PIA plane in Karachi killed nearly 100 people and a fake pilot licence scandal erupted later in 2020. The scandal led to the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) banning the airline from flying to its most lucrative routes in Europe and the UK.
The 2020 ban is still in place and has cost the airline nearly Rs40 billion in revenue annually, according to government records presented in parliament. Pakistan’s financial crisis has also led to seizure of PIA aircraft by creditors in recent months, according to the airline.
While the airline awaits the government’s decision on a sale, it continues to need financial support: 23.7 billion rupees are required to keep it afloat for another five to six months before control is given to a new buyer, three government and PIA sources said.
However, not everyone agrees with pressing ahead speedily with the sale. Three senior airline officials, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said a fast sale could devalue the airline’s worth, and that it would not be a transparent transaction without due diligence.
But Singapore-based aviation analyst Brendan Sobie said PIA is in dire straits: the plan submitted to the government was “essentially the only option to save” the airline. “The privatisation will be challenging and a sale is likely not possible unless it first undergoes a deep restructuring and the debts are cleared.”
PIA’s assets include key slots at the world’s busiest airports and air routes to top European destinations, the Middle East and North America. PIA has air service agreements with more than 150 countries and generates about Rs280 billion annually in revenues despite the EU ban, airline records show.
It has 10 slots at Heathrow, which, according to two PIA officials, are currently worth Rs70 billion annually. It has a further nine slots at Manchester and four at Birmingham. Turkish and Kuwaiti airlines have been operating 70% of the slots under a business arrangement with PIA, the PIA officials said.
Separately, PIA’s physical assets, which include aircraft, hotels in Paris and New York and other properties, are worth Rs105.6 billion as per book value, according to the airline’s annual report for 2023. PIA officials, however, said the market value of the assets could be above $1 billion. In any case, the hotels and other properties would not be up for sale, they said.
SOURCE: https://tribune.com.pk/story/2455334/interim-govt-seals-plan-to-privatise-pia
The caretaker government was making “binding plans” for the incoming government after the February 8 elections to privatise the loss-making Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Privatisation Minister Fawad Hasan Fawad said on Friday.
In the past, elected governments have shied away from undertaking unpopular reforms, including the sale of the national-flag carrier. However, in June, the then coalition government agreed to overhaul loss-making state-owned enterprises under a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The government, then led by Shehbaz Sharif, decided to privatise PIA just weeks after signing the IMF agreement. The caretaker government, which took office in August, was empowered by the outgoing parliament to take any steps needed to meet the budgetary targets agreed with the IMF.
“Our job is 98% done,” Fawad told Reuters when asked about the plan to sell the airline. “The remaining 2% is just to bring it on an excel sheet after the cabinet approves it,” he said, adding that the cabinet would also decide whether to sell the stake by tender or through a government-to-government deal.
Fawad said the plan, drawn up by transaction adviser Ernst & Young, would be presented to the cabinet for approval before the tenure of the administration ends following the election. “What we have done in just four months is what past governments have been trying to do for over a decade,” Fawad said.
“There is no looking back,” Fawad added. He did not give specific details of the size of the stake to be sold, but two sources said that a 51% stake with full management control would be offered to buyers after parking the airline’s debts in a separate entity, under the 1100-page report from Ernst & Young.
PIA had liabilities of Rs785 billion and accumulated losses of Rs713 billion as of June last year. Its chief executive officer (CEO) had said that the losses in 2023 were likely to be Rs112 billion. Fawad confirmed the PIA privatisation plan involved its debts being spun off into a separate entity.
Progress on the privatisation will be a key issue if the incoming government goes back to the IMF once the current bailout programme expires in March. Caretaker Finance Minister Shamshad Akhtar told reporters last year that Pakistan would have to remain in IMF programmes after its expiry.
Besides operational and technical measures for PIA’s divestment, the caretaker government has also amended a 2016 law that had blocked selling off its majority shares, according to a draft posted on the Pakistan parliament’s website.
Ishaq Dar, who was the finance minister when Shehbaz was the prime minister and has been named by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to retain the portfolio if it forms the next government, told Reuters that the sale of PIA will be fast-tracked. “It will, God willing, move ahead with fast speed.”
In a report in mid-January, the IMF expressed satisfaction over the measures initiated by the caretaker government to accelerate reforms of state-owned enterprises, specifically mentioning the amendment of the PIA privatisation law.
Under the privatisation plan submitted by Ernst & Young to the government on December 27, government-guaranteed legacy debt and payables – which are held by a consortium of seven domestic banks – would be parked in a holding company, Fawad and two sources involved in the process said.
Fawad said the government and the consortium had an agreement in place regarding the settlement of the legacy debt, which includes negative equity of Rs825 billions in loans, creditors’ money and the losses. He provided no further details.
The sources had earlier said the banks wanted a five-year bond issued against the debt with a 16.5% coupon on the paper, while the finance ministry was offering only 10%. The banks have not commented on the deal.
Besides its losses, PIA’s safety standards have been questioned by global aviation authorities for some years. In early 2020, Czech and Hungarian air force jets were scrambled to intercept a PIA flight with 300 people on board as it went astray due to an “avoidable human error” by its pilot.
In May that year, the crash of a PIA plane in Karachi killed nearly 100 people and a fake pilot licence scandal erupted later in 2020. The scandal led to the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) banning the airline from flying to its most lucrative routes in Europe and the UK.
The 2020 ban is still in place and has cost the airline nearly Rs40 billion in revenue annually, according to government records presented in parliament. Pakistan’s financial crisis has also led to seizure of PIA aircraft by creditors in recent months, according to the airline.
While the airline awaits the government’s decision on a sale, it continues to need financial support: 23.7 billion rupees are required to keep it afloat for another five to six months before control is given to a new buyer, three government and PIA sources said.
However, not everyone agrees with pressing ahead speedily with the sale. Three senior airline officials, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said a fast sale could devalue the airline’s worth, and that it would not be a transparent transaction without due diligence.
But Singapore-based aviation analyst Brendan Sobie said PIA is in dire straits: the plan submitted to the government was “essentially the only option to save” the airline. “The privatisation will be challenging and a sale is likely not possible unless it first undergoes a deep restructuring and the debts are cleared.”
PIA’s assets include key slots at the world’s busiest airports and air routes to top European destinations, the Middle East and North America. PIA has air service agreements with more than 150 countries and generates about Rs280 billion annually in revenues despite the EU ban, airline records show.
It has 10 slots at Heathrow, which, according to two PIA officials, are currently worth Rs70 billion annually. It has a further nine slots at Manchester and four at Birmingham. Turkish and Kuwaiti airlines have been operating 70% of the slots under a business arrangement with PIA, the PIA officials said.
Separately, PIA’s physical assets, which include aircraft, hotels in Paris and New York and other properties, are worth Rs105.6 billion as per book value, according to the airline’s annual report for 2023. PIA officials, however, said the market value of the assets could be above $1 billion. In any case, the hotels and other properties would not be up for sale, they said.
SOURCE: https://tribune.com.pk/story/2455334/interim-govt-seals-plan-to-privatise-pia
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The officials from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Saturday barred the caretaker federal government from the privatization of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), ARY News reported.
According to the details, the secretary of ECP issued a letter to the Secretary Cabinet Division, directed to halt of the privatization process of PIA, and formally sought the records related to it.
The text in the letter highlighted that no decision related to the privatization of PIA should be taken until the ECP’s final verdict.
The letter further asked to provide the relevant records and cabinet decisions regarding the privatization.
Earlier in the day, the ECP once again asked the caretaker federal government not to restructure the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and let the matter be decided by the upcoming elected government.
In a letter written to Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar, Secretary ECP maintained that the basic responsibility of the caretaker government is to run day-to-day affairs. The letter read that the caretaker government could run the necessary matters of public interest and major policy decisions should not be taken by it.
“Such policy decisions should not be taken by the caretaker government in a hurry. These decisions might affect the upcoming elected government,” the letter read.
Source: ARY News
According to the details, the secretary of ECP issued a letter to the Secretary Cabinet Division, directed to halt of the privatization process of PIA, and formally sought the records related to it.
The text in the letter highlighted that no decision related to the privatization of PIA should be taken until the ECP’s final verdict.
The letter further asked to provide the relevant records and cabinet decisions regarding the privatization.
Earlier in the day, the ECP once again asked the caretaker federal government not to restructure the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and let the matter be decided by the upcoming elected government.
In a letter written to Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar, Secretary ECP maintained that the basic responsibility of the caretaker government is to run day-to-day affairs. The letter read that the caretaker government could run the necessary matters of public interest and major policy decisions should not be taken by it.
“Such policy decisions should not be taken by the caretaker government in a hurry. These decisions might affect the upcoming elected government,” the letter read.
Source: ARY News
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Caretaker cabinet approves PIA’s privatisation plan
Pakistan’s caretaker cabinet on Tuesday approved flag carrier Pakistan International Airlines’ (PIA) privatisation plan, the prime minister’s office said, days after the election panel asked the government to “refrain” from finalising any deal.
The caretaker government has recently accelerated the process to put the loss-making airline up for sale after it completed a restructuring plan, Reuters has reported. Officials had said the restructuring plan would be approved ahead of the February 8 national election.
The cabinet gave its approval to the plan on the recommendation of Pakistan’s privatisation commission, a body assigned to sell off all loss-making state-owned enterprises (SOEs).
The restructuring plan completed by transaction adviser Ernst & Young has divested the PIA into two entities; one ‘clean’ one and the other to be parked in a holding company with legacy debt, which includes negative equity of Rs825 billion ($2.95 billion) in loans, creditors’ money and losses.
The clean entity will be offered for sale.
“These steps will help attract the investors toward PIA,” the statement from the prime minister’s office said.
In deep economic crisis, Pakistan agreed last June to overhaul the SOEs under a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a $3 billion bailout.
The outgoing government decided to privatise PIA just weeks after signing the IMF agreement.
Pakistan’s caretaker cabinet on Tuesday approved flag carrier Pakistan International Airlines’ (PIA) privatisation plan, the prime minister’s office said, days after the election panel asked the government to “refrain” from finalising any deal.
The caretaker government has recently accelerated the process to put the loss-making airline up for sale after it completed a restructuring plan, Reuters has reported. Officials had said the restructuring plan would be approved ahead of the February 8 national election.
The cabinet gave its approval to the plan on the recommendation of Pakistan’s privatisation commission, a body assigned to sell off all loss-making state-owned enterprises (SOEs).
The restructuring plan completed by transaction adviser Ernst & Young has divested the PIA into two entities; one ‘clean’ one and the other to be parked in a holding company with legacy debt, which includes negative equity of Rs825 billion ($2.95 billion) in loans, creditors’ money and losses.
The clean entity will be offered for sale.
“These steps will help attract the investors toward PIA,” the statement from the prime minister’s office said.
In deep economic crisis, Pakistan agreed last June to overhaul the SOEs under a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a $3 billion bailout.
The outgoing government decided to privatise PIA just weeks after signing the IMF agreement.
Caretaker cabinet approves PIA’s privatisation plan
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s caretaker cabinet on Tuesday approved flag carrier Pakistan International Airlines’ (PIA)...
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Another air hostess of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) allegedly went missing while on duty in Canada.
The incident came to light when Maryam Raza, assigned to flight PK 782 from Pakistan to Toronto, failed to report for duty on the return flight, PK 784 from Toronto to Karachi.
Sources privy to the matter said that upon investigation, a note expressing gratitude to PIA was discovered alongside her hanging uniform in her room which read out "Thank you, PIA."
This marks the third reported case this year of PIA flight attendants allegedly 'slipping' while on duty, with two of them being women.
Samaa TV
The incident came to light when Maryam Raza, assigned to flight PK 782 from Pakistan to Toronto, failed to report for duty on the return flight, PK 784 from Toronto to Karachi.
Sources privy to the matter said that upon investigation, a note expressing gratitude to PIA was discovered alongside her hanging uniform in her room which read out "Thank you, PIA."
This marks the third reported case this year of PIA flight attendants allegedly 'slipping' while on duty, with two of them being women.
Samaa TV
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why all these air hostesses specially get slipped only in Canada?
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Another flight steward employed by the Pakistan International Airlines reportedly ‘slipped away’ in Toronto on Thursday.
The steward’s disappearance has been confirmed by a PIA spokesperson as well.
The steard, identified as Jibran Baloch, was assigned to work on flight PK-782 but failed to report to duty.
PIA’s staff went to search for Baloch at his hotel room, but he was nowhere to be found.
The spokesperson added that Toronto police and border security force have been told about the incident.
The Airline had reportedly confiscated the passports of its staff members, but it could not prevent Baloch’s absence.
This is the second instance of a PIA employee ‘slipping’ from duty in Canada this month. So far at least 12 PIA employees have disappeared while on duty abroad this year.
AAJ News
The steward’s disappearance has been confirmed by a PIA spokesperson as well.
The steard, identified as Jibran Baloch, was assigned to work on flight PK-782 but failed to report to duty.
PIA’s staff went to search for Baloch at his hotel room, but he was nowhere to be found.
The spokesperson added that Toronto police and border security force have been told about the incident.
The Airline had reportedly confiscated the passports of its staff members, but it could not prevent Baloch’s absence.
This is the second instance of a PIA employee ‘slipping’ from duty in Canada this month. So far at least 12 PIA employees have disappeared while on duty abroad this year.
AAJ News
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I think PIA management is also involved in this otherwise after passports being confiscated how can someone slip away so easily?
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PIA pilots advised not to fly while fasting
Pilots and cabin crew of the national flag carrier PIA have been advised against flying while fasting as it will not only risk their lives but also that of others too in the aircraft and on the ground.
A letter to all cabin crew members with instructions regarding “in-flight fasting” stating that as advised by Corporate Safety Management and the Aircrew Medical Centre, it is perceived that flying while fasting is a possibility, but in such a case the element of risk is considerable and margin of safety is minimal.
In any emergency situations with complications, wrong and delayed actions may lead to serious consequences due to impaired judgment and incapacitation. It needs no emphasis that the sanctity of fasting is undeniable. While fasting, one has to go for a change in normal routine, therefore, fasting and flying may not be confined to religious reasons as there are defined relaxations on fasting while traveling, it said.
During fasting, attention and decision-making ability decrease, reflexes begin to slow down, stamina also decreases, so after considering all the factors, it is clear that flying while fasting is not only harmful to you but that of others too, in the aircraft and on the ground.
Dawn News
Pilots and cabin crew of the national flag carrier PIA have been advised against flying while fasting as it will not only risk their lives but also that of others too in the aircraft and on the ground.
A letter to all cabin crew members with instructions regarding “in-flight fasting” stating that as advised by Corporate Safety Management and the Aircrew Medical Centre, it is perceived that flying while fasting is a possibility, but in such a case the element of risk is considerable and margin of safety is minimal.
In any emergency situations with complications, wrong and delayed actions may lead to serious consequences due to impaired judgment and incapacitation. It needs no emphasis that the sanctity of fasting is undeniable. While fasting, one has to go for a change in normal routine, therefore, fasting and flying may not be confined to religious reasons as there are defined relaxations on fasting while traveling, it said.
During fasting, attention and decision-making ability decrease, reflexes begin to slow down, stamina also decreases, so after considering all the factors, it is clear that flying while fasting is not only harmful to you but that of others too, in the aircraft and on the ground.
Dawn News
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PIA plane grounded in Istanbul after technical fault
A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight returning from Turkiye on Wednesday was temporarily grounded in Istanbul because of a technical fault in its landing gear.
According to sources, the landing gear of PIA’s Boeing 777 scheduled to arrive from Turkiye to Pakistan suddenly malfunctioned on the taxiway before taking off.
The captain of flight PK-704 diverted the aircraft back to the boarding bridge as per the standard operating formulated for this situation.
Later, the passengers were offloaded and shifted to the airport’s lounge.
A team of engineers left from Karachi to Istanbul with spare parts for repair work.
The passengers have been sent to Pakistan by a Turkish Airlines flight.
Arrangements are under way to bring some stranded passengers to Islamabad through an alternative flight.
On Monday, another PIA’s Boeing 777, which made an emergency landing at Muscat International Airport, returned to the country after the replacement of its engine.
The replaced engine -- removed from another Boeing 777 plane grounded at Jinnah International Airport -- was airlifted to Muscat on March 10 on a C-130 cargo plane.
Carrying 392 passengers, flight PK-714 from Madina to Islamabad had to make an emergency landing at Muscat airport after one of its engines suddenly failed at an altitude of 35,000 feet.
In the past 23 years, the PIA posted some profits only since 2002 till 2004 and that too by virtue of a bailout package of Rs20 billion. However, the abnormal oil price hike over the subsequent few years in conjunction with an extended EU ban due to safety concerns, on most of its planes for flying to Europe in 2007, caused a major dent upon its profitability.
By 2012, primarily driven by an aging fleet, the PIA’s annual spend on fuel had increased to 54% of the total vis-a-vis 24% in 2003. Continuing the trend by 2017, its accumulated losses had risen to Rs356 billion.
Later, in lieu of the fake degrees’ scandal and associated safety concerns, the PIA was debarred from the EU, UK, USA and Canada in 2020, further affecting its revenues.
SOURCE: EXPRESS TRIBUNE
A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight returning from Turkiye on Wednesday was temporarily grounded in Istanbul because of a technical fault in its landing gear.
According to sources, the landing gear of PIA’s Boeing 777 scheduled to arrive from Turkiye to Pakistan suddenly malfunctioned on the taxiway before taking off.
The captain of flight PK-704 diverted the aircraft back to the boarding bridge as per the standard operating formulated for this situation.
Later, the passengers were offloaded and shifted to the airport’s lounge.
A team of engineers left from Karachi to Istanbul with spare parts for repair work.
The passengers have been sent to Pakistan by a Turkish Airlines flight.
Arrangements are under way to bring some stranded passengers to Islamabad through an alternative flight.
On Monday, another PIA’s Boeing 777, which made an emergency landing at Muscat International Airport, returned to the country after the replacement of its engine.
The replaced engine -- removed from another Boeing 777 plane grounded at Jinnah International Airport -- was airlifted to Muscat on March 10 on a C-130 cargo plane.
Carrying 392 passengers, flight PK-714 from Madina to Islamabad had to make an emergency landing at Muscat airport after one of its engines suddenly failed at an altitude of 35,000 feet.
In the past 23 years, the PIA posted some profits only since 2002 till 2004 and that too by virtue of a bailout package of Rs20 billion. However, the abnormal oil price hike over the subsequent few years in conjunction with an extended EU ban due to safety concerns, on most of its planes for flying to Europe in 2007, caused a major dent upon its profitability.
By 2012, primarily driven by an aging fleet, the PIA’s annual spend on fuel had increased to 54% of the total vis-a-vis 24% in 2003. Continuing the trend by 2017, its accumulated losses had risen to Rs356 billion.
Later, in lieu of the fake degrees’ scandal and associated safety concerns, the PIA was debarred from the EU, UK, USA and Canada in 2020, further affecting its revenues.
SOURCE: EXPRESS TRIBUNE
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PIA flight to Quetta suffers bird hit: Plane partially damaged, passengers’ safe
An Islamabad to Quetta Pakistan International Airline (PIA) flight PK-235 suffered a bird hit on Sunday morning.
PIA spokesperson said that all passengers on board were safe despite the bird strike. The flight was safely brought back to Islamabad due to security measures, the spokesperson of the national carrier said.
“Flight partially damaged, alternative flight being arranged,” PIA said. “The next flight will depart for Quetta at 12.30 pm carrying all the passengers,” a PIA spokesperson said.
Earlier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) suspended air hostess Hina Sani following their detention by Customs officials at Toronto Pearson International Airport on charges of alleged violation of discipline.
Hina Sani has been suspended pending further investigation into the incident. A departmental inquiry is scheduled to be conducted against her upon her arrival in Pakistan this evening.
The detention occurred after the air hostess, assigned to PIA flight number PK-789 from Lahore to Toronto, was allegedly found in possession of contraband by Customs authorities. After undergoing a lengthy interrogation, the air hostess was eventually released by Customs officials.
SAMAA
An Islamabad to Quetta Pakistan International Airline (PIA) flight PK-235 suffered a bird hit on Sunday morning.
PIA spokesperson said that all passengers on board were safe despite the bird strike. The flight was safely brought back to Islamabad due to security measures, the spokesperson of the national carrier said.
“Flight partially damaged, alternative flight being arranged,” PIA said. “The next flight will depart for Quetta at 12.30 pm carrying all the passengers,” a PIA spokesperson said.
Earlier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) suspended air hostess Hina Sani following their detention by Customs officials at Toronto Pearson International Airport on charges of alleged violation of discipline.
Hina Sani has been suspended pending further investigation into the incident. A departmental inquiry is scheduled to be conducted against her upon her arrival in Pakistan this evening.
The detention occurred after the air hostess, assigned to PIA flight number PK-789 from Lahore to Toronto, was allegedly found in possession of contraband by Customs authorities. After undergoing a lengthy interrogation, the air hostess was eventually released by Customs officials.
SAMAA
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Long road back for PIA, even when their CAA issues resolve
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Ice recovered from shoes of PIA hostess Hina Sani in Canada
Canadian authorities have retrieved ice from the joggers (shoes) of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) air hostess, Hina Sani, who was arrested on suspicion of illegal activity.Hina remains detained and is yet to be granted bail. Canadian immigration officials are expected to present her before a local court soon.
The story takes a more complex turn with allegations that Hina might not be the sole actor. She reportedly named two other PIA officials stationed at the Toronto Airport - Faiza Javed and Jameel - who allegedly assisted her.
Canadian immigration officials reportedly questioned Faiza and Jameel late into the night, suggesting their potential involvement in the case.
Hina Sani currently awaits a court appearance and has not been granted bail. If deported, she will reportedly travel back to Pakistan as a passenger, not as crew.
Prior to her arrest, Hina had reportedly received warnings from Canadian authorities.
On the other hand, the case of Hina Sani, a PIA air hostess detained in Toronto on suspicion of illegal activity, has taken a surprising turn. After being initially released, reports now confirm she has been re-arrested and sent to jail.
A PIA spokesperson confirmed Sani’s transfer to jail, although the specific charges against her remain unclear. This development comes amidst the Easter holiday weekend, delaying her next court appearance until Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has reportedly contacted PIA seeking details about Sani's case. This suggests a potential wider investigation into the situation.
Adding another layer of complexity, reports indicate “influential circles” are pressuring PIA’s administration to reinstate Sani, despite her suspension.
Furthermore, an internal investigation within PIA has been launched by the Central Disciplinary Unit. This probe reportedly focuses on a manager and a flight scheduler, potentially linked to Sani’s case.
Allegations have also surfaced that PIA flight schedulers may have assigned staff with “no-fly declarations” to the Toronto route. Additionally, there are claims of crew members being engaged on “non-routine duties” by the General Manager of Flight Services.
Source: SAMAA
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Good news for Pakistan’s economy as the liabilities, debt and arrears of Pakistan International Airline (PIA) have been cleared.
As per details, all financial losses and debts of the National Airline have been cleared as it has been shifted to the withholding company before the privatization.
The officials stated that Pakistan Stock Exchange has been notified about the clearance of PIA’s balance sheet.
ARY News
As per details, all financial losses and debts of the National Airline have been cleared as it has been shifted to the withholding company before the privatization.
The officials stated that Pakistan Stock Exchange has been notified about the clearance of PIA’s balance sheet.
ARY News
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PIA flight leaves 50 passengers in Jeddah over capacity issues
A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight from Jeddah to Islamabad left 50 passengers stranded at Jeddah Airport due to the small size of the aircraft, according to a spokesperson for the airline.The passengers were provided with accommodation and basic facilities in a nearby hotel, while arrangements were made for their transportation to Islamabad, he said.
The flight, PK-942, was originally scheduled to arrive in Islamabad on Sunday, with most of the passengers being Umrah pilgrims. However, due to the limited capacity of the aircraft, 50 passengers had to be left behind in Jeddah.
In response to the situation, the spokesperson assured that a special plane would be arranged to transport all the passengers from Jeddah to Islamabad today.
The delay and inconvenience faced by the passengers prompted demands for intervention from higher authorities.
Furthermore, flights from Jeddah to Karachi and from Karachi to Islamabad experienced delays due to suspected irregularities in PIA's flight operations. The delays have left passengers irked at the national airlines.
The arrival of flight PK-732 from Jeddah to Karachi was delayed by more than four hours with multiple changes to the departure time. The aircraft of the said flight was supposed to take flight PK-300 from Karachi to Islamabad.
The flight set to depart at 7am was delayed for several hours due to the non-availability of the aircraft.
These incidents highlight challenges faced by both passengers and airlines, underscoring the need for improved operational efficiency and communication to ensure smooth travel experiences.
Source: SAMAA
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PIA plans to ‘expand’ flight operations
With the European Union expected to lift the ban on the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) in the near future, the national carrier plans to expand its flight operations.
“Flights to Europe will resume immediately after the restrictions are lifted,” PIA Chief Commercial Officer Nausherwan Adil said in a meeting with travel agents in Lahore.
“The ban on flights to the UK is also likely to end,” he added.
“Plans to resume flights to the UK have also been completed.”
Adil praised the role of travel agents, saying that they were the airline’s long-standing companions and in fact its “business partners”.
The PIA official explained that the national carrier’s future business plan also included addition of more aircraft.
He noted that a large number of Pakistanis were residing all over the world and travelled to the country every year.
“Overseas Pakistanis are our real assets.”
The PIA official said all possible steps were being taken to provide direct flights to the country to overseas Pakistanis.
Adil hoped that the PIA’s relationship with the travel agents would grow stronger in the coming days.
The PIA official explained that the national carrier’s business partnerships with various major airlines were aimed at providing convenience to its passengers.
He continued that the PIA strived to provide the best possible services to its passengers with its limited air fleet.
The PIA official pointed out that Lahore was the top station of the national carrier in terms of generating income.
He noted that travel agents had supported the PIA during all its difficult times.
Adil expressed his gratitude to travel agents on behalf of the airline’s management.
SOURCE: EXPRESS TRIBUNE
With the European Union expected to lift the ban on the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) in the near future, the national carrier plans to expand its flight operations.
“Flights to Europe will resume immediately after the restrictions are lifted,” PIA Chief Commercial Officer Nausherwan Adil said in a meeting with travel agents in Lahore.
“The ban on flights to the UK is also likely to end,” he added.
“Plans to resume flights to the UK have also been completed.”
Adil praised the role of travel agents, saying that they were the airline’s long-standing companions and in fact its “business partners”.
The PIA official explained that the national carrier’s future business plan also included addition of more aircraft.
He noted that a large number of Pakistanis were residing all over the world and travelled to the country every year.
“Overseas Pakistanis are our real assets.”
The PIA official said all possible steps were being taken to provide direct flights to the country to overseas Pakistanis.
Adil hoped that the PIA’s relationship with the travel agents would grow stronger in the coming days.
The PIA official explained that the national carrier’s business partnerships with various major airlines were aimed at providing convenience to its passengers.
He continued that the PIA strived to provide the best possible services to its passengers with its limited air fleet.
The PIA official pointed out that Lahore was the top station of the national carrier in terms of generating income.
He noted that travel agents had supported the PIA during all its difficult times.
Adil expressed his gratitude to travel agents on behalf of the airline’s management.
SOURCE: EXPRESS TRIBUNE
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Toronto-bound plane heads back to Karachi after four hours in air
A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight from Islamabad to Toronto was diverted back to Karachi after a technical fault was noticed by the captain while flying over Russia, on Friday.
The Boeing 777 with 268 passengers onboard was scheduled to take off from Islamabad International Airport at 2:15pm on Friday, but departed one hour late, according to flight inquiry.
PIA spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez Khan said that PIA flight PK-781 was diverted back to Karachi after it developed a technical fault. When it chose to turn around, the plane had been in the air for four hours and was flying over Russia.
He said that the captain noticed a technical problem and then decided to divert the flight back to Karachi, landing after 1am on Saturday.
He claimed that the technical problem with the aircraft was minor, but the captain preferred to return back, rather than to continue the long flight over the Atlantic.
Sources said that the aircraft, bearing registration number AP-BGZ, had previously reported the same fault.
The decision to bring the aircraft back to Karachi was made due to better arrangements at the engineering base and availability of spare parts, he said.
Arrangements to receive the flight at Jinnah International Airport Karachi were said to be in place and the passengers would be accommodated at the airport hotel.
The flight is now scheduled to depart for Toronto at 1pm today (Saturday).
SOURCE: DAWN
A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight from Islamabad to Toronto was diverted back to Karachi after a technical fault was noticed by the captain while flying over Russia, on Friday.
The Boeing 777 with 268 passengers onboard was scheduled to take off from Islamabad International Airport at 2:15pm on Friday, but departed one hour late, according to flight inquiry.
PIA spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez Khan said that PIA flight PK-781 was diverted back to Karachi after it developed a technical fault. When it chose to turn around, the plane had been in the air for four hours and was flying over Russia.
He said that the captain noticed a technical problem and then decided to divert the flight back to Karachi, landing after 1am on Saturday.
He claimed that the technical problem with the aircraft was minor, but the captain preferred to return back, rather than to continue the long flight over the Atlantic.
Sources said that the aircraft, bearing registration number AP-BGZ, had previously reported the same fault.
The decision to bring the aircraft back to Karachi was made due to better arrangements at the engineering base and availability of spare parts, he said.
Arrangements to receive the flight at Jinnah International Airport Karachi were said to be in place and the passengers would be accommodated at the airport hotel.
The flight is now scheduled to depart for Toronto at 1pm today (Saturday).
SOURCE: DAWN
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Fake Pilot Arrested at Lahore Airport
The Airport Security Force (ASF) apprehended an individual impersonating a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) pilot at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport on Tuesday.
According to a statement by the ASF spokesperson, Ahmed was attempting to gain access to the international departure lounge using a fake PIA pilot identification card.
The spokesperson added that the fake pilot was handed over to the Airport Police for further legal action. Furthermore, authorities have registered a case against Ahmed and an investigation has been launched.
It should be recalled that following the pilots’ license scandal, the European Aviation Agency imposed a ban on all Pakistani airlines in July 2020. Pakistani officials expect the ban to be lifted in the coming months after a recent meeting.
propakistani.pk
The Airport Security Force (ASF) apprehended an individual impersonating a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) pilot at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport on Tuesday.
According to a statement by the ASF spokesperson, Ahmed was attempting to gain access to the international departure lounge using a fake PIA pilot identification card.
The spokesperson added that the fake pilot was handed over to the Airport Police for further legal action. Furthermore, authorities have registered a case against Ahmed and an investigation has been launched.
It should be recalled that following the pilots’ license scandal, the European Aviation Agency imposed a ban on all Pakistani airlines in July 2020. Pakistani officials expect the ban to be lifted in the coming months after a recent meeting.
Fake PIA Pilot Arrested at Lahore Airport
The Airport Security Force (ASF) apprehended an individual impersonating a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) pilot at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal
propakistani.pk
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Yet another PIA steward ‘disappears’ in Toronto
Another PIA flight attendant has ‘gone missing’ after landing in Toronto, taking the total number of crew members who have disappeared in the Canadian capital this year to seven.
At least 14 crew members have not returned after landing in Toronto since January 2023.
A PIA spokesperson confirmed that the missing crew member, Noor Sher, was on board flight PK-781, which left Islamabad on Monday, the first day of Eidul Azha.
His disappearance was reported when he did not report for duty on the return flight.
Mr Sher is an experienced flight attendant who joined the national flag carrier in 2003, the spokesperson added.
Departmental action has been launched against the missing crew member.
Officials say the trend of flight attendants ‘going missing’ in Canada was due to its flexible laws, which offer asylum after entering the country.
DAWN
Another PIA flight attendant has ‘gone missing’ after landing in Toronto, taking the total number of crew members who have disappeared in the Canadian capital this year to seven.
At least 14 crew members have not returned after landing in Toronto since January 2023.
A PIA spokesperson confirmed that the missing crew member, Noor Sher, was on board flight PK-781, which left Islamabad on Monday, the first day of Eidul Azha.
His disappearance was reported when he did not report for duty on the return flight.
Mr Sher is an experienced flight attendant who joined the national flag carrier in 2003, the spokesperson added.
Departmental action has been launched against the missing crew member.
Officials say the trend of flight attendants ‘going missing’ in Canada was due to its flexible laws, which offer asylum after entering the country.
DAWN
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Had come across this document of the shocking incident ( A bit technical and lengthy video). Completely highlights the absolute corrupt decay of PIA. After 4 years, still no improvement and European ban continues.
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Over 2 Dozen PIA Planes Have Become Scrap at Karachi Airport
At Karachi Airport, over 30 abandoned aircraft have deteriorated into scrap, becoming shelters for birds, with many parts of these planes reportedly disappearing.
According to a private news channel, a dispute over the General Declaration (GD) has led to dozens of aircraft, including those from Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), being abandoned at Karachi Airport for years.
The abandoned aircraft include 13 non-operational planes from Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), such as Airbus 310s and two Jumbo 747s. As per sources, customs officials have requested GDs for these planes, but PIA has not provided them.
As a result, customs authorities have refused to issue the necessary No Objection Certificates (NOCs).
The delay in issuing No Objection Certificates (NOCs) by customs has caused significant financial losses for PIA. The airline faces millions in losses, as the removal process for these aircraft cannot begin until the necessary NOCs are granted.
A Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) spokesperson confirmed that three aircraft have been successfully removed from Karachi Airport. The CAA is working closely with all relevant parties to resolve the issue.
propakistani.pk
At Karachi Airport, over 30 abandoned aircraft have deteriorated into scrap, becoming shelters for birds, with many parts of these planes reportedly disappearing.
According to a private news channel, a dispute over the General Declaration (GD) has led to dozens of aircraft, including those from Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), being abandoned at Karachi Airport for years.
The abandoned aircraft include 13 non-operational planes from Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), such as Airbus 310s and two Jumbo 747s. As per sources, customs officials have requested GDs for these planes, but PIA has not provided them.
As a result, customs authorities have refused to issue the necessary No Objection Certificates (NOCs).
The delay in issuing No Objection Certificates (NOCs) by customs has caused significant financial losses for PIA. The airline faces millions in losses, as the removal process for these aircraft cannot begin until the necessary NOCs are granted.
A Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) spokesperson confirmed that three aircraft have been successfully removed from Karachi Airport. The CAA is working closely with all relevant parties to resolve the issue.
Over 2 Dozen PIA Planes Have Become Scrap at Karachi Airport
At Karachi Airport, over 30 abandoned aircraft have deteriorated into scrap, becoming shelters for birds, with many parts of these planes reportedly
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PIA suspends use of Iranian airspace after missile attack on Israel
The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has instructed all its captains and flight operations to avoid Iranian airspace following the missile attack on Israel.
"The flight plans are being revised to avoid using Iranian airspace," a PIA spokesperson stated.
"Iranian airspace will not be used until the situation is clear," the spokesperson added.
“PIA uses two corridors in Iranian airspace. The northern corridor is used for flights to Canada and Turkiye, while the southern corridor is used for destinations like UAE, Bahrain, Doha, and Saudi Arabia,” the spokesperson added.
Dunya News
The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has instructed all its captains and flight operations to avoid Iranian airspace following the missile attack on Israel.
"The flight plans are being revised to avoid using Iranian airspace," a PIA spokesperson stated.
"Iranian airspace will not be used until the situation is clear," the spokesperson added.
“PIA uses two corridors in Iranian airspace. The northern corridor is used for flights to Canada and Turkiye, while the southern corridor is used for destinations like UAE, Bahrain, Doha, and Saudi Arabia,” the spokesperson added.
Dunya News
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PIA lists reasons for constant losses
A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) official informed a parliamentary committee on Friday that both the PIA and other Pakistani airlines have been incurring losses due to permissions granted to foreign airlines for operating additional flights, as well as the ongoing ban imposed by the European Union and the United Kingdom.
During a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Privatization's sub-committee, the PIA general manager faced a series of questions from committee members regarding the long-standing crisis facing the national carrier.
Responding to these queries, the GM said the PIA is not overstaffed and there have been no new recruitments in the airline over the past 13 years.
"PIA's staff costs are significantly lower compared to airline industry standards. If all aircraft were operational, the current workforce would be sufficient," he said.
The official further noted that the PIA has been unable to induct new aircraft in a timely manner, and various restructuring plans developed over the years were not implemented.
"The bans on flights to Europe and the UK have caused substantial losses for PIA. The business of PIA and other Pakistani airlines has been negatively impacted by the approval of additional flights for foreign airlines to various Pakistani cities," he added.
Earlier, Sehar Kamran, the convener of the sub-committee on privatization, asked why the PIA's business model had failed. Committee member Saba Sadiq inquired about the fate of PIA employees after privatization and why foreign investors have not shown interest in the airline.
The committee also questioned when PIA began operating at a loss, the actual reasons behind the flight bans, and when the open skies policy was implemented.
They further asked how many foreign airlines had been granted permission for additional flights, what the process was for acquiring aircraft on wet lease, and what steps had been taken for PIA's restructuring over time.
Dawn
A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) official informed a parliamentary committee on Friday that both the PIA and other Pakistani airlines have been incurring losses due to permissions granted to foreign airlines for operating additional flights, as well as the ongoing ban imposed by the European Union and the United Kingdom.
During a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Privatization's sub-committee, the PIA general manager faced a series of questions from committee members regarding the long-standing crisis facing the national carrier.
Responding to these queries, the GM said the PIA is not overstaffed and there have been no new recruitments in the airline over the past 13 years.
"PIA's staff costs are significantly lower compared to airline industry standards. If all aircraft were operational, the current workforce would be sufficient," he said.
The official further noted that the PIA has been unable to induct new aircraft in a timely manner, and various restructuring plans developed over the years were not implemented.
"The bans on flights to Europe and the UK have caused substantial losses for PIA. The business of PIA and other Pakistani airlines has been negatively impacted by the approval of additional flights for foreign airlines to various Pakistani cities," he added.
Earlier, Sehar Kamran, the convener of the sub-committee on privatization, asked why the PIA's business model had failed. Committee member Saba Sadiq inquired about the fate of PIA employees after privatization and why foreign investors have not shown interest in the airline.
The committee also questioned when PIA began operating at a loss, the actual reasons behind the flight bans, and when the open skies policy was implemented.
They further asked how many foreign airlines had been granted permission for additional flights, what the process was for acquiring aircraft on wet lease, and what steps had been taken for PIA's restructuring over time.
Dawn
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Another PIA cabin crew member goes missing in Canada
Another Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) steward has reportedly gone missing in Toronto, raising concerns over the increasing number of cabin crew members allegedly slipping away while on duty.
The missing crew member, identified as Mohsin Raza, was supposed to report for duty on flight PK 784 bound for Karachi on October 13. However, before the flight, Islamabad-based Raza was found missing in the hotel. He was posted as a cabin crew member on the Islamabad-Toronto route.
The steward was declared missing when he did not report for the flight.
This incident marks the 12 time in one year that a PIA flight attendant has allegedly gone missing after a layover in Toronto. Despite efforts by PIA to prevent such occurrences, including the policy of submitting air hostesses' passports to airline officials while in Canada, the practice appears to have been ineffective in curbing the issue.
The PIA spokesperson confirmed that action has been initiated against the missing air hostess, and the matter is being investigated. The airline has previously faced similar challenges with its cabin crew, raising concerns about the internal measures in place to prevent such incidents from recurring.
Another PIA cabin crew member goes missing in Canada
Another PIA steward, Mohsin Raza, has gone missing in Toronto, marking the 12th case of a cabin crew member disappearing in one year. Raza failed to report for duty on flight PK 784 from Toronto to Karachi, raising concerns about PIA's internal measures.
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PIA ordered to pay £5m to 8 ex-employees in unfair dismissal case
Dealing a significant blow to Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), eight former employees of the national carrier have won a landmark unfair dismissal case in a London court.
The Croydon Court has ordered PIA to pay £5 million in compensation to the ex-employees who were dismissed two years ago.
The employees, who had been with PIA for periods ranging from five to 15 years, challenged their termination in court, arguing that they were unfairly dismissed. They claimed the airline violated the Employment Act during their dismissal process, failing to adhere to British employment laws.
On the second day of the trial, crucial evidence was presented, showing that PIA had not taken British legal standards into account when terminating the contracts. The court ruled in favour of the eight former staff members, finding that PIA’s actions were unlawful.
PIA has accepted the court’s decision and agreed to pay £500,000 in damages to each of the eight employees. This legal defeat is a significant setback for the airline, adding to its ongoing challenges.
www.samaa.tv
Dealing a significant blow to Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), eight former employees of the national carrier have won a landmark unfair dismissal case in a London court.
The Croydon Court has ordered PIA to pay £5 million in compensation to the ex-employees who were dismissed two years ago.
The employees, who had been with PIA for periods ranging from five to 15 years, challenged their termination in court, arguing that they were unfairly dismissed. They claimed the airline violated the Employment Act during their dismissal process, failing to adhere to British employment laws.
On the second day of the trial, crucial evidence was presented, showing that PIA had not taken British legal standards into account when terminating the contracts. The court ruled in favour of the eight former staff members, finding that PIA’s actions were unlawful.
PIA has accepted the court’s decision and agreed to pay £500,000 in damages to each of the eight employees. This legal defeat is a significant setback for the airline, adding to its ongoing challenges.
PIA ordered to pay £5m to 8 ex-employees in unfair dismissal case
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been ordered by a London court to pay £5 million in compensation after losing an unfair dismissal case filed by eight former employees. The court ruled that PIA violated British employment laws during their termination.
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PIA resumes Turbat flights
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has resumed operations from Karachi to Turbat as part of its efforts to restore its network.
The move is expected to boost the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects, which are vital for the country’s economy.
According to a PIA spokesperson, the flights from Karachi to Turbat began on December 10, with two weekly flights on Mondays and Wednesdays. He said the national flag carrier is focusing on strengthening its operations for both Turbat and Gwadar.
Earlier, following the EASA’s lifting of restrictions on Pakistani flights operating to Europe, PIA announced its first flight from Islamabad to Paris on January 10, 2025.
Initially, two weekly flights on Fridays and Sundays will operate, with plans to gradually increase the frequency over time.
DAWN NEWS
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has resumed operations from Karachi to Turbat as part of its efforts to restore its network.
The move is expected to boost the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects, which are vital for the country’s economy.
According to a PIA spokesperson, the flights from Karachi to Turbat began on December 10, with two weekly flights on Mondays and Wednesdays. He said the national flag carrier is focusing on strengthening its operations for both Turbat and Gwadar.
Earlier, following the EASA’s lifting of restrictions on Pakistani flights operating to Europe, PIA announced its first flight from Islamabad to Paris on January 10, 2025.
Initially, two weekly flights on Fridays and Sundays will operate, with plans to gradually increase the frequency over time.
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Two pilots among ex-PIA staffers admit to using fake degrees
Four ex-employees of PIA, including two pilots and a stewardess, have confessed to furnishing fake degrees to get appointed or promoted in the national flag carrier, court documents revealed.
All of them had already been terminated or superannuated when the FIA booked them in 2022, following an audit that transpired the appointments of 457 PIA employees on the basis of fake degrees.
Initially, they denied the charges when they approached a special court seeking pre-arrest bail, which was subsequently granted. But after their indictment, they all pleaded guilty and wanted to record their confessional statements.
Judge Tanveer Ahmad Sheikh explained to the accused that they were “not bound to make any confessional statement”. In case, they opted to do so, the same might be used against them and they might be convicted on the basis of the confessions, the judge remarked.
He also gave them 30 minutes and made them sit in the corner of the court to think over their requests. Thereafter, they insisted upon their confessions being recorded.
In her confessional statement, Nazia Naheed from Karachi stated before the judge that she was appointed on July 5, 2001 as an air hostess on a five-year contract. She confessed to having submitted a bogus BA degree to get a promotion. However, she said, the degree was later found to be forged during a scrutiny that led to her termination from service on April 26, 2014.
She claimed she was jobless, while her husband had died in a road accident.
Mohsin Ali also confessed to using a fake BA degree at the time of his appointment as a co-pilot in 2006, while the basic requirement for the job was intermediate. He said he was terminated in 2014 after his fake degree came under scrutiny.
Arif Tarar said he was appointed as a peon in PIA in 1979 and used a fake degree of FA to get a job as data entry operator in the same department. He retired in 2018 after completing a service of 39 years. However, the audit also found his degree bogus and implicated him in the FIR registered by the FIA in 2022.
In his confessional statement, Kashan Aijaz Dodhy of Karachi stated that he was appointed on Nov 13, 1995 as a cadet pilot in PIA and used a BSc degree to get hired, though the basic requirement for the job was FSc. “I used my degree for BSc for showing extra qualification which later on found to be fake during the verification process and I was terminated from the service in 2019,” he recalled.
All the accused regretted their acts and tendered an apology, leaving themselves at the mercy of the court.
Finding the accused persons guilty in light of their confessions, Judge Sheikh convicted all of them for imprisonment “till rising of the court” in addition to imposition of fine of different amounts.
DAWN NEWS
Four ex-employees of PIA, including two pilots and a stewardess, have confessed to furnishing fake degrees to get appointed or promoted in the national flag carrier, court documents revealed.
All of them had already been terminated or superannuated when the FIA booked them in 2022, following an audit that transpired the appointments of 457 PIA employees on the basis of fake degrees.
Initially, they denied the charges when they approached a special court seeking pre-arrest bail, which was subsequently granted. But after their indictment, they all pleaded guilty and wanted to record their confessional statements.
Judge Tanveer Ahmad Sheikh explained to the accused that they were “not bound to make any confessional statement”. In case, they opted to do so, the same might be used against them and they might be convicted on the basis of the confessions, the judge remarked.
He also gave them 30 minutes and made them sit in the corner of the court to think over their requests. Thereafter, they insisted upon their confessions being recorded.
In her confessional statement, Nazia Naheed from Karachi stated before the judge that she was appointed on July 5, 2001 as an air hostess on a five-year contract. She confessed to having submitted a bogus BA degree to get a promotion. However, she said, the degree was later found to be forged during a scrutiny that led to her termination from service on April 26, 2014.
She claimed she was jobless, while her husband had died in a road accident.
Mohsin Ali also confessed to using a fake BA degree at the time of his appointment as a co-pilot in 2006, while the basic requirement for the job was intermediate. He said he was terminated in 2014 after his fake degree came under scrutiny.
Arif Tarar said he was appointed as a peon in PIA in 1979 and used a fake degree of FA to get a job as data entry operator in the same department. He retired in 2018 after completing a service of 39 years. However, the audit also found his degree bogus and implicated him in the FIR registered by the FIA in 2022.
In his confessional statement, Kashan Aijaz Dodhy of Karachi stated that he was appointed on Nov 13, 1995 as a cadet pilot in PIA and used a BSc degree to get hired, though the basic requirement for the job was FSc. “I used my degree for BSc for showing extra qualification which later on found to be fake during the verification process and I was terminated from the service in 2019,” he recalled.
All the accused regretted their acts and tendered an apology, leaving themselves at the mercy of the court.
Finding the accused persons guilty in light of their confessions, Judge Sheikh convicted all of them for imprisonment “till rising of the court” in addition to imposition of fine of different amounts.
DAWN NEWS
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PIA ordered to pay £5m to 8 ex-employees in unfair dismissal case
Dealing a significant blow to Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), eight former employees of the national carrier have won a landmark unfair dismissal case in a London court.
The Croydon Court has ordered PIA to pay £5 million in compensation to the ex-employees who were dismissed two years ago.
The employees, who had been with PIA for periods ranging from five to 15 years, challenged their termination in court, arguing that they were unfairly dismissed. They claimed the airline violated the Employment Act during their dismissal process, failing to adhere to British employment laws.
On the second day of the trial, crucial evidence was presented, showing that PIA had not taken British legal standards into account when terminating the contracts. The court ruled in favour of the eight former staff members, finding that PIA’s actions were unlawful.
PIA has accepted the court’s decision and agreed to pay £500,000 in damages to each of the eight employees. This legal defeat is a significant setback for the airline, adding to its ongoing challenges.
PIA ordered to pay £5m to 8 ex-employees in unfair dismissal case
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been ordered by a London court to pay £5 million in compensation after losing an unfair dismissal case filed by eight former employees. The court ruled that PIA violated British employment laws during their termination.
4 million pound is peanuts in airline industry. How is that a huge setback
gani999
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We are talking about PIA here. Countries have been refusing to refuel their planes and even impounding them due to non payment of dues. 4 million pounds is a huge amount for an airline that is struggling even to refuel its planes.
Although 500,000 pounds compensation for an unfair dismissal case seems a bit steep. Those employees probably had a very good (read very expensive) lawyer representing them.
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78 iPhone 16 Pro caught from PIA crew members
Customs officials recovered 78 high-value mobile phones, including 54 iPhones, worth hundreds and thousands of rupees from the crew of Pakistan International Airlines's (PIA) Dubai-Multan flight.The seized iPhone 16 Pro were found in possession of five crew members, including senior steward Faisal Pervaiz, air hostesses Nishat and Sadaf, and flight stewards Imran and Khalid Khan. Acting on prior information, Customs authorities intercepted the crew and discovered 24 iPhones with the two air hostesses.
Upon further investigation and identification by the detained crew members, 54 more phones were recovered from the male crew members after calling them back from their hotel after the flight. The seized mobile phones are worth millions of rupees.
The statements of those involved in the smuggling attempt have been recorded, and while the mobile phones have been confiscated, the individuals were allowed to leave for home after the inquiry.
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In the case of Customs officials at Multan Airport seizing a consignment of expensive mobile phones from Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) staff, the airlines took swift disciplinary action and suspended all suspects involved.
According to a PIA spokesperson, the administration has immediately suspended all cabin crew members involved in the incident and issued show-cause notices. A departmental inquiry has been initiated to thoroughly investigate the matter.
The spokesperson emphasized that strict measures would be taken against those found guilty. “If their guilt is proven, the strictest punishment will be determined as per company policy,” the spokesperson stated, reiterating PIA’s zero-tolerance policy towards unethical or illegal actions by its employees.
The airline administration has assured full cooperation with authorities to ensure accountability. "No leniency will be shown to employees involved in illegal activities," the spokesperson added.
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PIA to hire engineers and technicians on daily wages amid resignations
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has decided to hire engineers and technicians on daily wages following a wave of resignations amid the government's privatization efforts. Recently, 110 engineers and technicians resigned from the national carrier, prompting the administration to begin interviews for new hires on a contractual basis.
Sources within PIA revealed that while appointments for engineers and technicians are underway, the decision for aircraft engineers’ recruitment has not yet been finalized. The last batch of aircraft engineers was hired in 2016.
This comes as a British delegation arrived in Pakistan to assess the country’s aviation safety standards, which is an essential step toward resuming flight operations between Pakistan and the UK. The delegation from the UK Department for Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will review the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority’s (PCAA) safety protocols.
Additionally, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered an investigation into a controversial advertisement related to the launch of PIA Paris flights. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar shared this directive during a Senate session on PIA's privatization.
SOURCE: https://www.nation.com.pk/28-Jan-20...-technicians-on-daily-wages-amid-resignations
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has decided to hire engineers and technicians on daily wages following a wave of resignations amid the government's privatization efforts. Recently, 110 engineers and technicians resigned from the national carrier, prompting the administration to begin interviews for new hires on a contractual basis.
Sources within PIA revealed that while appointments for engineers and technicians are underway, the decision for aircraft engineers’ recruitment has not yet been finalized. The last batch of aircraft engineers was hired in 2016.
This comes as a British delegation arrived in Pakistan to assess the country’s aviation safety standards, which is an essential step toward resuming flight operations between Pakistan and the UK. The delegation from the UK Department for Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will review the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority’s (PCAA) safety protocols.
Additionally, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered an investigation into a controversial advertisement related to the launch of PIA Paris flights. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar shared this directive during a Senate session on PIA's privatization.
SOURCE: https://www.nation.com.pk/28-Jan-20...-technicians-on-daily-wages-amid-resignations
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Polio certificate must for Saudi-bound passengers: PIA
Pakistan International Airlines has advised travellers visiting Saudi Arabia to bring their polio vaccination certificate to the airport in order to avoid any inconvenience, as they will not be allowed entry without it.
A PIA spokesperson said that passengers have been facing difficulties at airports for the past several days in the light of new guidelines from the Saudi government regarding polio vaccination certificates as vaccination has been made mandatory for travelers going to Saudi Arabia.
Polio vaccination is mandatory at least four weeks before traveling to Saudi Arabia, but it should not be more than six months old, the spokesperson said.
Polio vaccination is mandatory for every traveller, whether they are on Umrah visa, tourist visa or Iqama, said the PIA spokesperson
Travellers who will transit for less than 12 hours at any airport in Saudi Arabia are not required to get vaccinated. It is mandatory to have the stamp of the government or private hospital on the vaccination certificate.
All passengers planning to travel to Saudi Arabia have been requested to bring their vaccination certificates with them before arriving at the airport, the spokesperson said.
“Travel to Saudi Arabia will not be allowed without a polio vaccination certificate, so avoid problems as these guidelines apply to travel through all airports and all airlines,” said the spokesman.
A circular has already been issued by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of Saudi Arabia, instructing all airlines to ensure that passengers arriving in Saudi Arabia after departure from or transit through several countries where poliovirus is circulating, are vaccinated against poliovirus.
DAWN NEWS
Pakistan International Airlines has advised travellers visiting Saudi Arabia to bring their polio vaccination certificate to the airport in order to avoid any inconvenience, as they will not be allowed entry without it.
A PIA spokesperson said that passengers have been facing difficulties at airports for the past several days in the light of new guidelines from the Saudi government regarding polio vaccination certificates as vaccination has been made mandatory for travelers going to Saudi Arabia.
Polio vaccination is mandatory at least four weeks before traveling to Saudi Arabia, but it should not be more than six months old, the spokesperson said.
Polio vaccination is mandatory for every traveller, whether they are on Umrah visa, tourist visa or Iqama, said the PIA spokesperson
Travellers who will transit for less than 12 hours at any airport in Saudi Arabia are not required to get vaccinated. It is mandatory to have the stamp of the government or private hospital on the vaccination certificate.
All passengers planning to travel to Saudi Arabia have been requested to bring their vaccination certificates with them before arriving at the airport, the spokesperson said.
“Travel to Saudi Arabia will not be allowed without a polio vaccination certificate, so avoid problems as these guidelines apply to travel through all airports and all airlines,” said the spokesman.
A circular has already been issued by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of Saudi Arabia, instructing all airlines to ensure that passengers arriving in Saudi Arabia after departure from or transit through several countries where poliovirus is circulating, are vaccinated against poliovirus.
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PIA breaks two decade loss streak with record net profit
The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Board of Directors has officially approved the airline’s financial results for 2024, marking a major milestone as the national carrier reported its first net profit in 21 years, ARY News reported.
According to the approved financial statement, PIA recorded an operational profit of Rs 3.9 billion and a net profit of Rs 2.26 billion for the year 2024. This marks the airline’s first profitable year since 2003.
The airline’s operating margin stood at over 12 percent, a figure comparable to the performance of some of the world’s leading airlines.
PIA’s return to profitability is being credited to wide-ranging reforms carried out under the supervision of the Government of Pakistan.
These reforms included reducing workforce and operational costs, consolidating profitable routes, eliminating loss-making routes, and restructuring the airline’s balance sheet.
arynews.tv
The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Board of Directors has officially approved the airline’s financial results for 2024, marking a major milestone as the national carrier reported its first net profit in 21 years, ARY News reported.
According to the approved financial statement, PIA recorded an operational profit of Rs 3.9 billion and a net profit of Rs 2.26 billion for the year 2024. This marks the airline’s first profitable year since 2003.
The airline’s operating margin stood at over 12 percent, a figure comparable to the performance of some of the world’s leading airlines.
PIA’s return to profitability is being credited to wide-ranging reforms carried out under the supervision of the Government of Pakistan.
These reforms included reducing workforce and operational costs, consolidating profitable routes, eliminating loss-making routes, and restructuring the airline’s balance sheet.
PIA breaks two decade loss streak with record net profit
KARACHI: The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Board of Directors has officially approved the airline’s financial results for 2024, marking a major
arynews.tv
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