Pakistani flight safety may also be questionable

Mayday: PIA pilots, management heading for confrontation

Pilots refuse to operate flights without proper rest, says Palpa. PHOTO: AFP

KARACHI: Pilots of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and the management are heading for another confrontation on issues ranging from a revision in the agreement covering allowances to mandatory rest before taking flights.

The cockpit crew of the airline is clubbed together under the Pakistan Airline Pilots' Association (Palpa), the most influential body representing the aviation industry professionals.

Whenever relations between pilots and the management become sour, the airline's operation and revenue take a bad hit.

According to Palpa, pilots have started to refuse to operate flights without proper rest and as a consequence at least eight departures including one to London from Lahore have been cancelled on Thursday.

But on the other hand, the airline has dismissed the information as a "lie".

"No flight has been cancelled. This is a lean season for us, hence we are merging flights together. This will go on for three to four days," said a PIA spokesperson.

Nevertheless, Palpa President Amir Hashmi said pilots were not being allowed proper rest and being called to perform duty on short notice in violation of internationally accepted rules.

"It's a safety hazard. In some instances, pilots are informed about their schedule two hours before a flight. That's completely unacceptable," he said. PIA has around 450 pilots for a fleet of just 25 operational aircraft at any given time - that's 18 pilots per jet. But Hashmi said the number of senior pilots who can fly bigger jets like Boeing 777 is only 80.

"Management wants to talk but what is the point when they are not willing to listen to us," he said.

While he didn't talk much about it, the agreement with the management covering the salaries and allowances of pilots also seems to be a point of contention.

"Everyone works for money and when it comes to PIA pilots they have genuine demands. Don't forget we have sacrificed much better job offers only to serve our national flag carrier."