Abdul Khaliq Qureshi
Abbottabad
Pakistan International Air Lines (PIA) has decided to close down the only office in Abbottabad from 30th May which will cause great hardship to the passengers of PIA from Hazara division. A reliable source told that PIA Abbottabad office which was catering the needs of peoples especially labourers working in the Middle East and other areas belongs to eight districts of Hazara division including Kohistan Upper and Lower, Kohistan Palas, Torghar, Battagram, Mansehra, Haripur and Abbottabad where hundreds of peoples from these areas are working in different countries as labour class and at least 90% workforce prefer to use the PIA as a means of communication.
One insider told that PIA Abbottabad the office was established in 1990 and had at least more than 200 sub travel agents which are linked with the PIA Abbottabad office and normally used to books flights for the passengers without any hustle and they do not charge a single penny for making any change in their reservations while after the closure of the office, the consumers have to either contact PIA Peshawar or Rawalpindi office for any kind d of change of their seats and reservations of their bookings.
The travel agents working at Allai, Oghi, Haripur, Mansehra and other areas of Hazara division will be further overburdened to get the cancellations and change of bookings from PIA Peshawar Rawalpindi office and chances of losing of handsome revenue is there as private travel agencies workings with other airlines will be having an edge to get their bookings without any difficulties.
