PIA to have a new look by April 2015: chairman

[Al Bhatti]

Now a days we cannot compare PIA even with budget airlines of UAE (Fly Dubai of Dubai, Air Arabia of Sharjah) let alone Emirates or Etihad

 

[Sugarcane]

PIA must be privatized to save public funds and to give relief to travelers, Travelers have to pay highest cost with pathetic services - sooner we do better it will be. Anyone hoping our govt. will make it successful are naive.

 

[RazorMC]

A "new look" is all they can do. The corrupt elements of PIA have eaten it like termites and destroyod one of the most profitable airlines in the world.

We have been leasing rubbish for years and we end up paying more in maintenance costs than we earn. Stupid mentality from inept people...


PIA -- Scrap Metal To Fly In

 

[zeplin_100]

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) would start replacing some of its fleet and revamp the present planes as well as evaluate the existing routes and would open new destinations by expanding its network.
It was stated by Lt Gen (R) Asif Yasin Malik, Chairman, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) while addressing the business community at Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI). Senator Mohsin Gilani, General(R) Ali Abbas, Faisal Mushtaq and Agha Ali Akhtar Pathan were also present on the occasion.
He said that 54% of PIA’s revenue was spent on fuel consumption while 12%-14% was the establishment cost, however, PIA is operating profit since October 2012 as well as its share in stock exchange market has increased by 26% due to efficient monitoring system. He said that 12 plane are been taken on lease because of higher average fleet of existing planes. Lt.Gen. (retd) Asif Yasin Malik further informed that under the PIA Revival Plan each operational area and department is under study and soon major decisions would be in place to obtain greater potential needed for the turnaround of the airline. Wrong aircraft for the wrong destination was the main reason of incurring losses but PIA would have a new look by April-2015, Chairman added.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr.Zafar Bakhtawari, President ICCI Pakistan International Airlines should reduce its fuel cost through fuel efficiencies, capacity/route rationalization and deployment of suitable aircrafts for the routes and passenger load, proper maintenance.
He said that most of the economic issues of our economy would be solved if department of PIA would start working efficiently as PIA losses had increased to Rs.150 billion while Rs.600billion were the accumulated losses of other Public Sector enterprises that were more than our defense budget of Rs.545billion which need to be monitor by adopting good governance.
ICCI President said that PIA should conduct a study to increase its destinations and initiate direct flights to those destinations which are potential market for Pakistani products that would ultimately help our country to get rid of isolation.

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Certainly PIA needs new aircrafts, but at the same time PIA should take advantage of geographic location of Pakistan, which suits as an convenient transit location for East and West bound passengers. PIA should open routes to Australia and South Africa. Likewise Dubai, Karachi or Gwadar should become main transit point for PIA passengers. For example PIA should offer to European passengers one stop flight to Australia and South Africa. Similarly to passengers from South Africa and Australia travelling to Europe. Similar more destinations in Africa and far East should be added. My suggestion will become workable only if PIA thinks beyond Pakistani passengers.

 

[zn426]

Certainly PIA needs new aircrafts, but at the same time PIA should take advantage of geographic location of Pakistan, which suits as an convenient transit location for East and West bound passengers. PIA should open routes to Australia and South Africa. Likewise Dubai, Karachi or Gwadar should become main transit point for PIA passengers. For example PIA should offer to European passengers one stop flight to Australia and South Africa. Similarly to passengers from South Africa and Australia travelling to Europe. Similar more destinations in Africa and far East should be added. My suggestion will become workable only if PIA thinks beyond Pakistani passengers.

Your point is technically valid, but answer this question for me first-why on earth would passengers fly PIA when they can accomplish the same goal by flying with Qatar or Emirates? ISB/LHE/KHI as airports aren't anywhere near the type of stopover destination that DXB or DOH are, and PIA is already suffering a perception lag. PIA is better served as being a promotion of Pakistan to the rest of the world.

 

[zeplin_100]

Your point is technically valid, but answer this question for me first-why on earth would passengers fly PIA when they can accomplish the same goal by flying with Qatar or Emirates? ISB/LHE/KHI as airports aren't anywhere near the type of stopover destination that DXB or DOH are, and PIA is already suffering a perception lag. PIA is better served as being a promotion of Pakistan to the rest of the world.

You have a very valid question. When there is a will, there is way. PIA can only compete with today's leading airlines, based on low fare initially, better punctuality, better service and by planning shorter routes. PIA has done it in distant past, and can do it again with very strong commitment, better planning and market oriented strategy.
Gwadar airport is being planned now-a-days, it can be tailor made to provide facilities of international standard. Similarly, Karachi airport can be easily upgraded. What I have proposed cannot happen in months, PIA and CAA together has to plan a strategy to bring PIA to the level of Emirates in three to five years time. There was a time when punctuality of PIA was 90%, with a record of 95% too.
When the standard of PIA will match Emirates in every respect, automatically some passengers will start flying PIA. To get more flow of passenger you will have to apply intelligent marketing packages.

 

[Nilgiri]

Quite a thread resurrection! The song remains the same.

 

[Imran Khan]

Quite a thread resurrection! The song remains the same.

livery was changed

 

[Nilgiri]

livery was changed

I like the oldest PIA liveries the best. The old school ones with PIA on tail etc.

Some of the new ones I just don't like at all, this one (some years back i think) looks like the plane is being gift wrapped like present lol:

 

[AsifIjaz]

The problem is that even if PIA orders new aircraft now, even then most of the usual choices will take years to come (e.g. A320 family), A330, 787 etc. The only ones available early are a few unwanted variants of A320 family and the newyer A220-300. Reviews of this aircraft are really good and its a relatively newer aircraft which may fit the bill for pakistan. Since its a newer variant which needs to break into the aviation sector hence if PIA opts for a multi year order with payments spread over the same time frame then we may end up with a good deal.
If not, dry/wet lease is what we are looking for at least next 3-5 years.

 

[xyxmt]

hmmm......interesting views by the members !!
Q -: How did PIA managed to stay sooo far behind ?
It could have been something much bigger than the emirates today .

This is how

and because Bhutto is still alive and he needs food.

 

[Rusty]

People don't h really understand this but PIA will never be competitive in the international markets due to high airport taxes in Pakistan. Unless the taxes are reduced to competitive levels PIA will only ever carry expat Pakistanis and no one else.

 

[xyxmt]

People don't h really understand this but PIA will never be competitive in the international markets due to high airport taxes in Pakistan. Unless the taxes are reduced to competitive levels PIA will only ever carry expat Pakistanis and no one else.

what is the airport tax in Pakistan, Toronto airport tax is around CAD 300 per ticket

 

[zn426]

The problem is that even if PIA orders new aircraft now, even then most of the usual choices will take years to come (e.g. A320 family), A330, 787 etc. The only ones available early are a few unwanted variants of A320 family and the newyer A220-300. Reviews of this aircraft are really good and its a relatively newer aircraft which may fit the bill for pakistan. Since its a newer variant which needs to break into the aviation sector hence if PIA opts for a multi year order with payments spread over the same time frame then we may end up with a good deal.
If not, dry/wet lease is what we are looking for at least next 3-5 years.

The A220 has already had a major market breakthrough with Delta Airlines in the United States. It got to be quite the fight as there was a court case on whether Bombardier took a $14M loss per unit (cost is $33M vs $19M apparent selling price). Of course A220 would make tons of sense for PIA but will be hard to get discounts given there's already demand-over 500 firm orders to date.

 

[Rusty]

what is the airport tax in Pakistan, Toronto airport tax is around CAD 300 per ticket

I am not sure what is it, I do know that last time I went it was 50% of the ticket price.

And Canada is a terrible comparison. Canada is way to expensive for everything, but since it's such a desirable country, we can get away with it.

Pakistan needs to compare itself to India and Thailand.
You can fly from Bangkok to Chang mai for like $50 usd there.

What Pakistani people don't understand is that you will make more money by selling an item with a lower price but larger volume then you would with a high price and lower volume.

lower airport tax = more people flying = more money.