PIA bows down before PALPA for the continuation of Hajj operation

Lahore: The Pakistan International Airlines  management has called upon the pilots and the PALPA to  desist from strike call as it would disrupt Haj flights schedule and created misery for the Hujjaj.

A PIA spokesperson while talking to APP here on Thursday urged pilots to put the country’s interest and prestige first and should not listen to the enticement and threats of the PALPA in the larger public interest.

The spokesperson said the PALPA had been inciting pilots to report sick at the last minute as a protest against the suspension of licenses of two pilots by the Civil Aviation Authority(CAA).

The spokesperson clarified that the licenses of pilots Capt. I. Kaleem and Capt. Zahid were suspended for one and two years respectively by the CAA and the PIA had nothing to do with their suspension. He said the suspensions were imposed after proper inquiry and on being found guilty of unlawfully operating flights without permission.

The spokesperson said the irresponsible attitude of the PALPA would affect the flight schedule, adding that PALPA would be directly responsible for any misery caused to Hujjaj as well as the injured. He alleged that PIA had to cancel 21 flights due to the unlawful and illegal stance of the PALPA, adding that PALPA had its vested interests and agenda and blackmails the PIA management to accede to illegal, out-of-turn promotions and unjustified benefits for PALPA executives. He said 14 pilots had refused so far to operate flights today under pressure from the PALPA which caused disruption in PIA’s flight schedule.

He alleged that PALPA executives were pressurizing pilots to report sick by threatening to suspend their membership of the association, which results in cancellation of PALPA’s own insurance of pilots worth millions of rupees. He said this insurance was in addition to the insurance cover provided by PIA itself to all the pilots across the board which is also worth millions of rupees.

The spokesperson said the PIA management was constantly engaged with PALPA to amicably resolve the matter at the earliest. The spokesperson said the PIA Call center was informing passengers through phone and SMS.