PIA’s Strategic Business Plan 2019-22 being finalized to improve performance

PIA assures public of uninterrupted operations despite salary payment concerns

ISLAMABAD, Jan 20 (APP):National Carrier – Pakistan International Airline (PIA) is in process of finalizing its  Strategic Business Plan 2019-22 which defines objectives and strategies to  improve performance.

The Plan is expected to be submitted to the Federal government
in March or April this year.

Sources at Aviation Division while enumerating steps
taken to improve its performance on Sunday said several profitable
new routes like Sialkot-Sharjah, Lahore-Muscat, Islamabad-Doha
and Lahore-Bangkok-Kualalampur have been added. These routes
are going very strong and are economically viable.
The sources said more new routes have been planned which
will commence soon. These include Sialkot-Paris-Barcelona,
Peshawar-Sharjah, Peshawar-Al- Ain and Multan-Sharjah.
The other steps were to increasing frequencies and
capacity on profitable routes like Jeddah and Madinah, closure of
loss making routes like New York, Salalah (Oman), Kuwait, Mumbai
and Tokyo, replacing the 20 years old and highly expensive
software system with new one (HITIT) which is very cost
effective, cheaper and more efficient and terminating extra and
ghost employees (around 200).
The sources said an effective austerity and cost
saving drive has been initiated which included curtailment of
unnecessary visits by officials both foreign and domestic and
instructions were issued to make use of technological
assistance like video calls, conference calls etc.
Some other measures adopted included retrieving company
vehicles and eliminating fuel allocations accordingly, stoppage of
all officiating and extra allowances given on additional
assignments to officials, ban on overtime allowances in all
cadres.
Whereas, abolishing VIP protocols and deployment of workers on
real assignments, monitoring of flights by senior officials, increasing
regularity and punctuality of flights by assigning target to
be achieved 90 percent and resolving issues pertaining to usage of flight
plans which involve reduction of short flight paths thus resulting in
huge savings in fuel expenses were also included.
The management of national carrier also ensured
reduction in public relation and brand activities by cutting
down on advertisements and making more effective use of news and
social media, abolished all kinds of discounts, rebates and free
tickets while punctuality and attendance being strictly monitored
for maximum productivity which also results in saving of
electricity and other utility expenses.
The sources said performance was also being
evaluated on basis of achieving targets.
The sources said effective liaison has been implemented
among all departments especially, finance, engineering and
supply chain to have more aircraft in operation which help in
expanding the network and flights.
In addition, the optimized
use of aircraft is also being ensured to achieve maximum
productivity and financial returns.
The improvement in flight services, training of crew and
regular monitoring, streamlining the business activities and
discipline at Airport Hotel which was going in losses and now
revenues are improving, effective monitoring and vigilance of
all areas to eliminate pilferage and leakages and improvement
in food quality with inclusion of refined menu in light of recommendations
and suggestions received from passengers were the other steps taken.
Some other measures adopted included introduction of
executive economy class on European and Gulf sectors which are
attracting more customers, rationalization of fares according to
market demand thus helping in increase of seat factor, delays of
flights have been cut down significantly by better planning
in engineering, flight operation and ground handling departments.
Special emphasis on cargo business with monitoring of
performance, rationalization of cargo fares and more effective
liaison with all stakeholders, special focus on Umrah and Ziarat
business by introduction of attractive fares and increasing
capacity, and complaint/feed back system which is being used
to ensure quality services, redressal of problems and for
bringing overall improvement in the system.
The sources said currently, PIA leased fleet includes
20 aircraft which have been acquired on Dry Lease basis.
These are four Boeing 777-200ER, 11 Airbus A320-200
and five ATR 72-500.

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