LAHORE - Joint Action Committee of PIA Employees (JACPIAE) has criticised the aviation policy formed by present government and said that instead of extending protection to PIA and other domestic carriers, free sky rather liberalization policy has been adopted in order to benefit the foreign carriers in general and Middle Eastern airlines in particular. The officials in-charge did not even bother to make local airlines part of such an important document.
JACPIA chairman Suhail Baloch, while talking to The Nation, said that aviation policy of a country should aim at safeguarding the interests of the national airline. “Historically, the aviation policy of Pakistan was formed with consultation of the aviation experts especially from PIA. “However, it is to our utter surprise that the present aviation policy was formed in total isolation and without taking major stakeholders and PIA on board”, he lamented.  The interests of the national flag carrier i.e. PIA and other domestic carriers such as Shaheen Air, Air Blue and Air Indus have totally been disregarded. This shows the level of importance that the present aviation policy makers are giving to the national airlines. Under the liberalization policy many undue benefits are being passed on to these blue-eyed airlines. This raises serious concerns on the loyalties of our aviation bosses, JACPIA office bearer said.
He said, “We believe that it is important to share a similar case of aviation policy with reference to American airlines”. The major carriers in the United States of America raised their concerns in the US Senate to restrict the access of the Middle Eastern carriers as they were badly hurting the business of the local carriers. Therefore, the US Senate is in the process of analyzing the situation and a policy with reference to liberalization/access to foreign carriers will be defined shortly. Recently Emirates Airlines requested access to the Atlanta market in the US, which is the hub of Delta Air. Thus upon the request of Delta Airways, the US government denied access to Emirates Airways. Similarly, Emirates Airlines is influencing the UAE government to deny access to Delta Air in the UAE market.  However, this is not the case in Pakistan. The people at the helm of aviation in Pakistan have joined hands with the Middle Eastern carriers to God forbid uproot PIA. The analysis of the present aviation policy clearly shows that it has been made without even referring the past aviation policies of Pakistan. It more seems to be a cut and ‘paste policy that has been taken from google. The author of the policy has totally ignored the analysis of the previous aviation policies. Referring to the past policies while drafting the present one, would had helped in studying the pros and cons of the previous policies that were made by aviation experts.  Besides the aviation industry in Pakistan, the administration has always taken a conservative stance in order to protect the local industry. However, the dubious approach on the aviation policy seems to be aimed at destroying the aviation industry of Pakistan.
It is pertinent to mention that the national flag carrier of Pakistan has always gone an extra mile to support the Pakistani nation in the times of crises. The latest example is of the rescue operation in Yemen. Pakistan International Airlines has taken out its scheduled aircraft and sent to Yemen in order to bring back our Pakistani brothers and sisters who are stranded in the war zone.
Emergency meeting of the Joint Action Committee of PIA Employees (JACPIAE) was attended by members of CBA, SAEP, PALPA, ATAP, PACCA, FENA, Progressive, PlACE Union, Skyways, Peoples Unity, United and Insaf Front. The meeting was held to deliberate upon the prevailing situation of the national flag carrier, the threats it faces, and the opportunities available to steer it out of the present turmoil. It was decided in the meeting to join hands and call upon the Chairman of Pakistan International Airlines and shed some light upon the plans regarding the future course of action for recovery of the airline.




The process of divestment is under-way, and the inclusion of PIA in the list of state owned enterprises to be privatized is an alarming situation, which needs attention on urgent basis. The videoconference meetings being held behind closed doors are raising many eyebrows. Sensitive information is being passed on to a group of foreigners who have no concerns with respect to safeguarding the rights of PIA and its employees.
Recently, the advertisement for the massive induction of General Managers, Dy. General Managers, and Managers in the airline was published in the leading newspapers of Pakistan. The aviation top bosses and some black sheep in the PIA management raised voices against excess employee to aircraft ratio while this massive hiring is totally opposite of what is being said. Besides this advertisement during the last one year several officials were directly hired on senior positions. without following any rules and regulations. The qualifications of most of those officials are questionable.
This is a clear example of nepotism and violation of PIA policies. The existing experienced professionals in the airline are awaiting promotions since long. However, the newly hired officials are getting hefty remunerations while the existing employees are being made to suffer. This discrimination with reference to the perks & privileges/remunerations is a total violation of the labor laws laid as per the Constitution of Pakistan.
Furthermore, the advertisement for acquisition of three Wide Body aircrafts on wet lease has also been published while our own aircrafts are on ground waiting for spare parts. At present six aircrafts already acquired on wet lease are part of the PIA fleet and millions of dollars are being spent in lieu of the wet lease charges. A time when the fuel prices have hit the rock bottom instead of making our grounded aircrafts airworthy in order to maximize the revenue, hefty payments while exercising a non feasible and non profitable option seems to be feasible to the top bosses.
Furthermore, it has been collectively decided in the meeting that no wet leased aircrafts will be accepted after 31st May 2015, as it is against the interest of PIA and its employees.