Pakistan's repeated threat to close its
airspace for Indian airlines seems more
aimed at placating its own people angry over
the Kashmir issue as taking such a step
would come with a huge financial cost for
the crisis-ridden country.
At a time when its flag carrier Pakistan
International Airlines (PIA) desperately needs
government funds to stay afloat and the
country is losing Rs850 crore due to airspace
closure in the wake of tensions with India,
another airspace closure to bar Indian
carriers from overflying could cost it dearly.
Struggling to survive, PIA recently retrenched
hundreds of people and depends on
government funds to continue its business.
While Pakistan government has maintained
that it stands behind the national carrier, the
commitment appears hollow given its own
finances are precarious.
Pakistan's Federal Minister for Aviation
Ghulam Sarwar Khan had last month said that
Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority suffered a
loss of Rs 8.5 billion owing to airspace
restrictions since February 2019 in the wake
of a military clash with India.
The airspace was opened in July but
following the Indian government's move to
abrogate Article 370, Pakistan has often
talked about airspace closure.
As per local media reports in Pakistan, Prime
Minister Imran Khan had on Tuesday chaired
a meeting of the aviation division in
Islamabad to discuss PIA's business plan,
requirements and other issues.
The airline plans to add 12 new planes to its
fleet by 2023 taking the total size to 45. Four
planes will be added to the fleet by 2020.
Industrial relations at the airline have been
strained with its pilot body and the
management being at loggerheads
threatening to affect flight operations.
The pilot body had recently blamed the airline
management for "non-serious attitude" as it
had not "paid any heed to repeated
reminders" regarding "continuous violation of
its own flight operation manual" as well as of
local and international safety guidelines that
put both the aircraft and passengers' safety
at risk, a local newspaper reported.
https://m.khaleejtimes.com/internat...-threat-to-close-airspace-for-indian-airlines
airspace for Indian airlines seems more
aimed at placating its own people angry over
the Kashmir issue as taking such a step
would come with a huge financial cost for
the crisis-ridden country.
At a time when its flag carrier Pakistan
International Airlines (PIA) desperately needs
government funds to stay afloat and the
country is losing Rs850 crore due to airspace
closure in the wake of tensions with India,
another airspace closure to bar Indian
carriers from overflying could cost it dearly.
Struggling to survive, PIA recently retrenched
hundreds of people and depends on
government funds to continue its business.
While Pakistan government has maintained
that it stands behind the national carrier, the
commitment appears hollow given its own
finances are precarious.
Pakistan's Federal Minister for Aviation
Ghulam Sarwar Khan had last month said that
Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority suffered a
loss of Rs 8.5 billion owing to airspace
restrictions since February 2019 in the wake
of a military clash with India.
The airspace was opened in July but
following the Indian government's move to
abrogate Article 370, Pakistan has often
talked about airspace closure.
As per local media reports in Pakistan, Prime
Minister Imran Khan had on Tuesday chaired
a meeting of the aviation division in
Islamabad to discuss PIA's business plan,
requirements and other issues.
The airline plans to add 12 new planes to its
fleet by 2023 taking the total size to 45. Four
planes will be added to the fleet by 2020.
Industrial relations at the airline have been
strained with its pilot body and the
management being at loggerheads
threatening to affect flight operations.
The pilot body had recently blamed the airline
management for "non-serious attitude" as it
had not "paid any heed to repeated
reminders" regarding "continuous violation of
its own flight operation manual" as well as of
local and international safety guidelines that
put both the aircraft and passengers' safety
at risk, a local newspaper reported.
https://m.khaleejtimes.com/internat...-threat-to-close-airspace-for-indian-airlines
