By Muhammad Luqman
Pakistan’s national carrier, PIA, is in the final phase of preparations for the resumption of direct flights to USA from April 2020.
According to media reports, the airliner has sought permission from American officials for it besides providing related documents and plans.
PIA shut down its direct fights operations in the USA due to financial losses, an aspect which was brought under control.
Chief Executive Officer of PIA Air Marshal Arshad Mahmood Malik recently informed that the monthly operational losses of the airlines had been reduced to Rs 1.5 billion against more than Rs 3 billion monthly losses before he assumed the charge.
“The reduction in operational losses became possible only due to day-night efforts of PIA team comprising those officers who have been working at PIA since last many years,” he said, while speaking at an interactive session with members of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) .
The PIA Chief said still a lot needed to be done to deal with PIA’s liabilities as whatever is being earned by the airline was mostly consumed on debt servicing.
PIA had stopped flights to New York via Manchester in 2017.
The airlines plans to increase its fleet from 31 to 45 by 2025, purchasing 3-4 aircraft every year instead of leasing them.
“We have developed a business plan for PIA, which the prime minister has approved. According to the plan, we are going to increase PIA’s fleet from the current 31 to 45 aircraft,” Pakistan’s Minister for Aviation, Ghulam Sarwar Khan said.
The federal minister said that the CAA is planning to develop a price-checking system to counter excessive price hikes, especially on domestic routes.
