'PIA wants to provide its valued passengers more destinations'

Joint Ventures and Commercial Alliances between airlines expand their network thereby creating better revenue prospects and creation of jobs. This was stated by Managing Director PIA, Captain Muhammad Aijaz Haroon while addressing the employees at the airline's Head Office. It is high time that we must rise above ethnic airline level to a global one, he said.
With a limited fleet and without any effective alliance it will be hard to survive in today's cut throat competitive environment prevailing in airline industry, he said. PIA was in talks with other airlines as well on viable Commercial Joint Venture operations and which is a routine matter in every airline.
To make our presence felt world-wide we are exploring various options like code sharing etc with leading carriers including Turkish Airlines who can help in expanding our network. He said that in today's competitive business environment one has to know how the airline is operating; knowing its parameters and business sense; which should be kept in mind while talking to others especially on TV News channels citing the example of some Association leaders who come on TV channels. One has to be cautious about the prestige of the airline, he said.
He said that whatever work is done in PIA is by the employees who are part of the work being done and they are also affiliated with airlines associations and we also believe in two way communication between the employees and the management and this communication meeting was part of it as done in the past as well, he said.
We have to think of an out of box solution for the benefit of the airline. PIA's market share on international routes was on continuous decline till 2008 but with the dedicated efforts of all employees of the corporation PIA was able to increase the market share which is now around 40 percent.
He said that sixth Freedom has caused loss to the airline but there were other factors as well which the present management has identified. A marketing survey conducted at Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi Airports, revealed that besides, a large number of passengers travel to non PIA destinations via other carriers a much higher number of passengers also travel to PIA destinations as 6th Freedom passengers mainly carried by Middle Eastern Carriers.
He said that the two main factors for the success of any airline are affordable fares and convenient schedule among other factors. PIA wants to provide more destinations to its valued passengers with convenient timings without involving major costs; this he said was only possible with commercial agreements like code sharing.
He dispelled the impression that Ministry of Defence was against any joint venture/code sharing initiative if taken by PIA rather the government is very much supportive of such initiatives which help PIA in enhancing its revenues and cost saving efforts. He said that all possible combinations with other airlines are being analysed and the best option with better connectivity and convenient timings will be preferred. There has been no such agreement inked down yet, he once again reiterated. It is still in the proposal/discussion phase and will come into binding after the approval by the Government of Pakistan which is the owner of airline.-PR