Pakistan International Airline (PIA) has forever been in hot water. The nation’s aviation service always makes it to the news for all the wrong reasons and it seems, today is yet another unfateful day for the brand.
Farwell to U.S.A Flights
According to latest reports, PIA has brand has decided to cease flights to the United States from 28th December.
پی آئی اے اب امریکہ نہیں جائے گی، پی آئی اے مشکلات میں۔#BOLNews pic.twitter.com/Ue6K4iujYn
— BOL NETWORK (@BOLNETWORK) October 25, 2017
The reason is the surge in losses over the past few months and the airline is no longer booking US flights through its reservation system.
According to the media reports, PIA, after stopping direct flights to the US, will enter into a code-sharing agreement with an American airline. US-bound passengers will be flown to London, where they will then be transferred to the American airline which will take them to the US.
Dawn news revealed that nearly 500,000 Pakistanis live in the US and the aviation service has never ceased its services for that country since it launched the operation there in 1961.
Coincidently, Air Blue now is starting direct flights to New York!
PIA to close its flight operations to NYC and PM's airline #Airblue going to start its operation to #NYC.
— Rimsha Baloch (@RimshaMengalPK_) October 22, 2017
PIA in Massive Loss!
According to latest reports, PIA is facing a loss worth 4 Billion. The country’s flagship carrier is akin to a sinking Titanic with no superhero to save it.
Advisor to Prime Minister on Aviation, Sardar Mehtab Abbasi told Geo News:
Neither the government nor the airline’s management or its employees are ready to own it.
However, he believes that the airline has a lot of potentials to recover itself and rise from the ashes all over again.
“There is a lot of talent, a lot of potential, if they [PIA] utilise their potential to the maximum then things can change”
Surplus staff to Fired
What is worse, PIA is expected to cut more than 500 jobs under the latest plan. This surely showcases PIA’s sorry state of affairs.
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for more updates.