The higher Management has yet again been changed.
With this latest change history has been made
in which an esteemed Senior PALPA member has
taken over as the MD PIAC. Never before a
PIA pilot has occupied that seat in the National
Airline.
The elevation of Capt. Aijaz
Haroon to that status has been welcomed by
all and sundry. As an Association we heartily
congratulate him and wish him luck. Not only
PALPA but the entire human resource of the
Airline is looking upto him as a harbinger
of success. In his previous appointments in
the Airline he had certainly delivered positively
and the culture of those departments had gone
through a radical change.
Therefore it is safe to
assume that the employees of PIA have the
ability to deliver in the existing scenario,
provided they are guided and motivated effectively.
The Association has always emphasized this
aspect to all previous Chairmen/MDs’
that the actual worth of the Airline is its
Human Resource, which needs to be looked after.
The experience of this Airline is being exploited
by other regional airlines only because PIA
is unable to motivate its work force and take
the requisite work out of them. The pilots
being the backbone of the Airline are doing
a wonderfully good job and by the grace of
Allah the Flight Schedule is going on smoothly
and safely.
With the change at the highest
level, our Flight Operations Department has
also gone through the replacement of its DFO.
Capt. Shuja Naqvi has taken over from Capt.
Naveed Aziz. The out going DFO had a short
stint in the office but the level of cooperation
and understanding of mutually agreed targets
was indeed a breath of fresh air. The same
spirit is being carried on by the incumbent
DFO, albeit his added responsibilities. The
Cabin Crew department is now working under
the DFO. The Flight Operations team of the
DFO has much more to handle with virtually
the same resources.
All the General Managers
previously designated as Chief Pilots, have
to prove that the changes envisaged by the
MD are doable and achievable. The immense
responsibility on the Flight Operations and
the achievement of its targets are being critically
watched by the entire Airline. In pursuit
of the designated aims the Association assures
all of our esteemed members appointed in various
capacities in the Management its fullest support.
We would like to heartily congratulate and
wish the following the best of luck in their
respective assignments.
The Association has prepared Fixed Salary Packages,
which have to be debated and approved by the Executive
Committee. Our endeavour is to get a Fixed Salary
Package approved in order to ensure emoluments distribution
based on seniority. This arrangement shall ensure
that every one flies his share of flying quota and
the equipment and routes have no bearing on his/her
Salary Package. Additionally, this shall encourage
pilotsto take leave, not be worried about handling
their finances while in training phase or being temporarily
grounded on medical grounds. The onus of rostering,
scheduling and optimum utilization shall be on the
Flight Operations. The department will have to ensure
equitable distribution of flying while the crew will
have to carry out their share religiously. The Association
appreciates the fact it has to work out the details
meticulously which takes into account all related
aspects. Once and if the arrangement is finalized
the membership shall be taken into confidence before
implementation.
MEETINGS
WITH THE MANAGEMENT:-
The Executive Committee has had a few meetings
with the Management in which various issues, pending
for a considerable period of time, were discussed.
The MD PIAC was very receptive and positive and
dealt each issue separately and gave decisions.
These are mentioned here briefly:-
Domestic
Travel:- The Cockpit crew shall be issued
the Economy Class Ticket and accommodated accordingly.
However, if no seats are available in economy class
then, subject to availability of seats in economy
+, the crew and the families shall be adjusted in
Economy +.
Rebated
Tickets For Retired Pilots:- The Retired
pilots shall be given 95% rebated tickets as is
applicable to the serving pilots. The Admin Order
shall be issued shortly.
Early
Retirement:- No pilot shall be stopped from
seeking an early retirement provided he meets the
criteria agreed to earlier through Circular No.
31/2007, dated 24th March 2007
Medical Facilities For Retired Pilots:- The
MD PIAC has directed the GM Human Resource &
Administration to give him a complete report on
the subject with the aim of streamlining the process
and all bottlenecks regarding medical for retired
colleagues.
NS-I Travel:- The Association is endeavouring
yet again to have a fool proof system to have the
seats confirmed for the crew and their families
travelling on NS-I. The IT department has supposedly
developed the software which will enable the system
to automatically screen the seats which have less
than 36 hours from the scheduled departure and confirm
them, provided there were seats available in the
Club Class. The system is being run on trial basis
and, hopefully, by the time this COCKPIT reaches
you the system would be functional and in place.
The Association shall convey to you the procedure
and if any action has to be taken by you while booking
your seats. The MD PIAC assured the Executive Committee
that he will personally look into making a system
which has no human intervention.
Pension:- The MD PIAC
was apprised of the entire case and the unilateral
and discriminatory, clauses
which are being applied in calculating pilots
pension. The MD was of the view that the matter
will be resolved and anything that is discriminatory
or unjustified shall be removed.
LOCKING
THE COCKPIT DOOR AND ENTRY:-
An INFO has been displayed in the Flight Operations
at Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore in which the
members have been requested to adhere strictly
to the in-flight procedures of unlicensed crew
visiting the cockpit during Flight and keeping
the cockpit door closed and locked during all
phases of Flight.
In a couple of instances our crew was reported
to have disregarded these instructions which resulted
in these instances appearing in the print and
electronic media. Although inquiries conducted
separately for these cases by the Flight Operations
department found no fault on the part of respective
crews but the Association and its membership earned
a bad name. The Association served a legal notice
to the reporter of a private TV channel who approached
the MD PIAC to intervene and refrain the Association
from pursuing the litigation. On the reporters’
assurance and MD’s advice the Association
agreed to drop the proceedings, on the condition
that incidents related to the flight crew, if
any, shall be verified before being circulated
in the press.
The Association requests all its members
to be extra careful as there are elements who
are working against the very idea of the Airline
being headed and governed by a pilot.
PALPA
SUB-COMMITTEES:-
The Executive Committee had formed various PALPA
Sub-Committees to facilitate the working in the
Association, the list of which was circulated to
you earlier. In case you have a query or an idea
or you would like to work in a particular sub-committee
as a co-opted member, you may contact any member
of the respective Sub-Committee. The basic idea
of these Committees is to keep the Association focused
on professional aspects, in line with the developments
and the changes taking place at the International
level in the Aviation Industry. Your input shall
be highly appreciated.
RETIREES:-
In the year 2008
from 16th April to 15th June, following of our senior
pilots have retired from the service of the Corporation
after having served the Airline for many years with
dedication and dignity.
PILOTS
RETIRED ON SUPERANNUATION:-
1
Capt. Khalid Karim
P-35217
2
Capt. Tauqir
P-29251
3
Capt. Ali Hamid
P-31123
4
Capt. Bakhtyar
P-25535
5
Capt. Usman Younus
P-22900
PALPA
CLUB HOUSE UPDATE:-
This is to apprise you all about the on-going
projects and progress in the affairs of the PALPA
Club House, during the last month.
1. Presently over 70% of PALPA Club House is being
lit by energy saver bulbs. This change shall ensure
a huge saving in cost of electricity besides conservation
of energy.
2. An electric lawn mower has been purchased to
keep the lawns trimmed at all times.
3. Room donation rates have been revised, keeping
in view the rising cost of utilities. The lawn donations
remain the same but separate charges for a rented
generator shall be applicable. Further, to protect
our lawn and property, in general, a panel of approved
caterers/decorators will be the sole providers for
events on the lawns.
4. All donations shall be subject to sales tax
@ 16% (Govt. taxation policy) from 1st July 2008.
5. Gymnasium timings have been made more flexible.
New dumb bells, weights, twister and bench press
have been purchased.
6. Swimming Pool timings have also been changed
due to the pressing demands from many of our life
members’ spouses and their children.
7. Yoga classes, are now being conducted by a lady
instructor, for ladies only. The evening classes
have been filled. However, morning classes may be
provided more ladies are interested to join the
class.
The Club Committee is providing light snacks by
the pool side. The process of buying a multi media
has already been initiated. Once procured, we hope
to resume movies and dinners on weekly basis. You
will be informed of the progress as soon as it materializes.
On humanitarian grounds; PALPA Club House Committee
has agreed to hold charity movies once a month.
An NGO, EXTRACORP, which is run by the youth for
the youth, will screen motivational movies. The
donations will be directed towards Physically and
Mentally Challenged Youth (PMCY) to set up, own,
manage and lead a conglomeration of enterprises
to economically empower themselves.
EXTRACORP is managing set ups like “Pleasures”,
“The Bekeri”, and a
snack bar “Rangila”
etc. Your presence at these events would not only
add value, but would also motivate the youth from
with-in and outside our community.
We look forward to your positive contributions.
Please feel free to come over and share your valued
ideas.
CHANGE
OF RATES OF CULLIGAN WATER FOR PALPA MEMBERS:-
We would like to
inform you that due to increase in the fuel and other
utilities, the rates of Culligan purified water bottle
has been increased by the Suppliers from Rs. 65/-
to Rs. 75/- per bottle w.e.f. 1st July 2008. This
is applicable to those who are being billed on monthly
basis. Those members buying on coupons may convert
on the billing system to buy water on cheaper rates.
Kindly contact Mr. Rahat in PALPA for conversion.
Members are requested to settle their bills as per
the agreed new rate.
MEDICAL
UPDATE:-
TAKE A SHORT NAP.
While a full night’s sleep is vital to good
health, stamina and alertness, a short nap can also
do wonders for your mood and performance.
The American National Sleep Foundation offers these
suggestions for good napping.
HEALTH TIPS
• Limit the nap to 20 minutes to 30 minutes.
This shouldn’t leave you feeling groggy or
interfere with your ability to fall asleep at night.
• Make sure you have a good sleep environment.
Choose a cool, dark and quiet room to help you fall
asleep and have a restful nap.
• Choose the right time to nap. Your body
may not be ready for more sleep if it’s early
in the day, while napping too late can cause problems
falling asleep at bedtime.
IS CHOCOLATE A HEALTH FOOD?
Pure chocolate (without added milk) contains more
than 300 chemicals, and has been the subject of
a number of studies by universities and other scientific
organizations. Here’s a quick rundown of the
results.
Cacao, the source of chocolate, contains anti-bacterial
agent that fight tooth decay. Of course, this is
counteracted by the high sugar content of milk chocolate.
The smell of chocolate may increase theta brain
waves, resulting in relaxation.
Chocolate contains a mild mood elevator.
The cocoa butter in chocolate contains a monounsaturated
fat which may raise good cholesterol.
Drinking a cup of hot chocolate before meals may
actually diminish appetite; ideal for weight watchers.
Men who eat chocolate live a year longer than those
who don’t.
Chocolate may help keep blood vessels elastic.
Chocolate increases antioxidant levels in the blood.
Ancient healers have used chocolate to treat bronchitis
and insect bites.
The carbohydrates in chocolate result in a sense
of well being.
GO FOR THE PUREST FORM OF CHOCOLATE, GENERALLY
CALLED DARK CHOCOLATE.
GREEN TEA
Add a twist of lemon to your green tea. Citrus juice
increases the absorbability of the tea’s antioxidants
by more than five times.
QUOTES:-
1. If you want others
to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be
happy, practice compassion.
2. Let freedom reign. The sun never sets on so glorious
a human achievement. (Nelson Mandela)
3. The difference between constructive and destructive
criticism is simple: the former is what you give while
the latter is what you get. (Frank Walsh)
4. Among my most prized possessions are words that
I have never spoken. (Orson Rega Card)
5. What really flatters a man is that you think him
worth flattering. (Bernard Shaw)
6. It is better to be approximately right than precisely
wrong. (Warren Buffett)
7. I'm lazy. But it's the lazy people who invented
the wheel and the bicycle because they didn't like
walking or carrying things. (Lech Walesa)
