PIA looking for alternatives over pilots' protest: Rashid
October 07, 2015
Speaking about the deadlock between the pilots' association, PALPA, and PIA, Rashid said that some people had tried to adversely affect flight operations of the national flag carrier.
He said that pilots should find out another way to register their protest.
"What if somebody is ill? Or if a youth has to go for a job interview?" he asked while speaking to reporters in Islamabad.
"The common man is being affected by the pilots' protest. What will the pilots get out of this?"
The information minister's remarks came as the standoff between PIA and PALPA continued for a seventh day today, with countless flights cancelled and millions of rupees in losses.
According to latest reports, the airline management is now considering acquiring the services of Pakistan Navy pilots and pilots from private airlines since negotiations have ended in a deadlock.
Also read: PIA and PALPA standoff: CAA constitutes medical board
Over 80 flights scheduled by the Pakistani flag carrier have been cancelled and over 5,000 passengers affected since Thursday when the pilots refused to work following a dispute over conditions.
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.
PIA claims the pilots' association is blackmailing the management to agree to unjust promotions and unjustified benefits for executives.
PALPA, on the other hand, denies that they 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.
PALPA vice president Sadiq Rehman claims the PIA management is asking "one man to do the job of two, and get the salary of one and a half men."
The state-owned PIA has a fleet of 41 aircraft which include Boeing 777, Airbus A320 and ATR, and 436 active pilots.
