All PALPA Members,
السلام عليكم
As you all are very well aware that at present PIA is passing through the most turbulent phase in its entire history. The Asian Giant and trendsetter of the Aviation industry has hit the rock bottom. This is the lowest that our National Flag Carrier has touched, now its time to rise to the occasion and extend our whole hearted support to the National Flag Carrier.
For most of us PIA is the only source of earning bread and butter for our families, we at PALPA feel that it’s high time to take serious steps towards rejuvenating the long ailing airline. The National Flag Carrier is not only supporting the existing employees and their families’ in terms of medical services and free passages but the retired employees and their families’ are also being benefited by the services that PIA has committed to offer.
The policy of the previous managements and the political intervention has led us on the verge of destruction. The era of nepotism and dictatorship is now fading; let’s work to relive the past glory. The Government has decided, if the PIA team fails to find a way out of this mess, the only option left is privatization. Would we be happy seeing our airline going into the hands of others? No definitely NOT. This is the time to pledge to make PIA fly higher.
Now in this difficult time our airline needs us. Without the dedication of all pilots who are the backbone of the airline and their sincere commitment we cannot save PIA. Everyone one of us needs to stand up and repay for securing the interests of the National Airline and not let outsiders come and dictate us and make us work on their terms.
PALPA being cognizant of the situation had approached the management and suggested several remedial measures in order to bring the airline out of its financial turmoil. The few recommendations made led to the saving of more than PKR 01 billion.
The incumbent Chairman PIAC Mr. Muhammad Ali Gardezi appreciated the vision of PALPA management and called upon PALPA to play its positive role. It has always been the desire of PALPA to see PIA flourish and as such extended whole hearted support to the Chairman for the eradication of corruption, nepotism, favouritism, bad governance, mis-management, pilferage as well as lavish spending.
In this regard, an independent Committee has been formed which is named as Way Forward Committee with Capt. Suhail Baluch as its Team Leader. The Committee has already started its work and started showing positive results.
The Way Forward Committee is inspired by former Chairman PIAC (Late) Air Marshal Nur Khan. We are not focussing on the petty issues like transfer and postings of crew, down gradation of hotels, Crew layovers, patterns etc, as suggested by the concerned Departments. In fact we have stalled all such attempts to create unrest amongst the employees specially pilots. The Way Forward Committee is restricting itself for the time being to the main issues which include various agreements, Fuel Savings, Procurement, Maintenance & Catering etc. The following are the recommendations so far made.
- A Committee has been formulated to evaluate/dispose USD 48 Million spares inventory.
- To find out the status and decide next course of action for 7 ground electric carts which were ordered few years back, with wrong specifications and are not being utilized.
- To dispose off 103 non-utilized tyres of A-310 being of different specifications. (These tyres were unaccounted for and it was WFC who got them registered in the inventory.
- Revised Taxi uplift fuel on all equipments station wise, NADP departures, Single taxi in & out procedure to be incorporated in training syllabus.
- WFC has planned a meeting with Pakistan Air Force & PCAA for Route Optimization of Juliet routes, SIDs & STARs.
- Inserted parts Catalogue information should be integrated in POSS system.
- Implementation of E-Pay slips from Group V onward.
- Saber, Abacus, and all other GDS’s, Catering, TGS agreements, Rental Agreement of PIA offices, domestic & international to be reviewed.
- To review all the agreements awarded in the last 05 years in respect to both passenger and cargo across the board.
- To develop a software and database for issuance of Passage authorities as per entitlement directly by employees families, retired employees & families of Cockpit crew.
- To make a complete inventory of serviceable & unserviceable TGS equipment station wise.
- PIA mobile App. has been developed for smart phones with all possible details.
- PIA’s prime property in New York has been highlighted, a 06 bedroom house worth a fortune is lying vacant for the last six years and PIA is paying the maintenance/taxes in thousands of dollars per annum.
- Meal/Snacks on domestic/regional flights for passengers to be revised which will result in huge savings.
We hereby call upon the membership to repose confidence in us and at the same time contribute their valuable suggestions. We also thank the Chairman PIAC for giving a free hand to the Way Forward Committee to achieve its aims and objectives.
Thanking you,
Yours sincerely,
Capt. Zarak Khan
GENERAL SECRETARY