PIA flights hit 'turbulence'

Pakistani pilgrims arrive at Islamabad airport after performing Haj on Friday.

Islamabad - Pilots-management row continues; 51 flights cancelled

By Afzal Khan

Published: Sun 4 Oct 2015, 5:38 PM

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has invited representatives of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) pilots for talks to resolve their current protest campaign which has seriously hampered it internal and external flight schedule.
Passengers continued to face hardship as the PIA had to cancel many flights for the third consecutive day Saturday.
Some 51 flights scheduled by the PIA have been cancelled in three days after pilots refused to work following a dispute over conditions, an airline spokesman said on Saturday. "Due to pressure from Palpa (Pakistan Airline Pilots' Association) so far 51 flights have been cancelled and it has affected 5,000 passengers since Thursday," spokesman for PIA) Danyal Gilani said in a statement.
The row started after the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority suspended the licences of two pilots for one and two years respectively for "unlawfully operating flight without permission," he said.
"In the guise of their personal agenda, Palpa leadership is blackmailing the management to agree to unjust promotions and unjustified benefits for Palpa executives," the spokesman said.
Palpa vice-president Sadiq Rehman denied that pilots were exercising a "go slow" or observing a strike, but they were not taking on extra work and this is why the flights were cancelled.
"We are not on a strike or go slow and only following the agreement with the management," Rehman told. "I have just flown a regular flight today," he added.
"Our main issue is that the management is asking one man to do the job of two, and get the salary of one and a half men. We want this to end," Rehman said.
The state-owned PIA has a fleet of 41 aircraft which include Boeing 777, Airbus A320 and ATR, and 436 active pilots.
Speaking at a Press conference, PIA Chairman Nasser N Jaffer said he did not know why the pilots had resorted to such behaviour. He urged them to discuss their grievances with the management. news@khaleejtimes.com
(with inputs from AFP)