PAKISTAN International Airlines (PIA) has grounded 11 aircraft, including three of its Boeing 777s, as the national flag carrier faces a serious financial crisis due to the uncontrolled flight of the dollar and increase in prices of petroleum products. According to its spokesperson, these aircraft have been grounded due to a lack of funds to buy spare parts as PIA is facing serious financial challenges including dependency on foreign currency.
One can understand the plight of the airlines as over one-third of its total fleet (consisting of 31 aircraft) is non-operational and it has no resources to make them airworthy again. These aircraft were not grounded suddenly but over a period of several years which speaks volumes about the internal state of affairs of the airlines and the governmental neglect. Unfortunately, PIA remains in the limelight for all the wrong reasons – starting from a ban on its pilots due to uncalled for statement of the then Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan, PIA got negative projection due to developments like European Union ban, stoppage of its aircraft for non-payment of dues in Malaysia, freezing of its accounts by FBR over unpaid taxes and pressure tactics used by its unions ignoring the overall state of affairs of the airlines. The previous government formed a high level committee to work out a plan to restructure and revive the institution but instead of formulating such a plan, a decision was taken to include PIA in the active list of privatization. More and more private airlines are being allowed to operate and their operations are successful but it is strange that despite frequent bail-out packages and reform process PIA continues to incur huge losses which have reached Rs.742 billion. There seems to be a lack of will and sincerity towards the national flag carrier.
