KARACHI: PIA, the Pakistani Flag-carrier, while endeavoring to reduce operational cost has sacked 1000 surplus employees.

Pakistan Airline Pilots’ Association (PALPA), commenting on this development stated that the current non-conducive environment at PIA had been resulting in the non-retention of its talent. PALPA pointed out that eight pilots have resigned this year while many others were considering this option due to poor policies and unfair scheduling of flights by PIA management.

By means of a correspondence PALPA President Rizwan Gondal has informed the DG Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) that the pilots called it a day due to crew fatigue with double sets/augmented crew. According to PALPA President PIACL has recently introduced  changes in FDTL planning which carries a very high element of fatigue, “cost cutting exercise is actually compromising flight safety,” he added.

PALPA President maintained that increased flights were in violation of the bilateral PALPA-PIAC Working Agreement 2011-2013 and this new flight situation would not allow pilots to avail themselves of the allocated rest time. He pointed out that rest periods before and after the flights were not defined by the operator and were not reflected on their rosters.

“PIACL schedule has failed to keep in mind the effects of fatigue, compounding adverse effect on crew health and therefore safety of flight. The same is reflected in a number of captains’ de-briefs. Majority of our crew are reluctant to accept these flights. However, those on contract are forced to carry out these duties under pressure in fear of losing their contracts.

“As a result of such policies, the backlog is tremendous. Our membership is suffering professional anxiety on account of being deprived of their legitimate expectancy.” Claiming that pilot productivity was at its lowest and present way of doing the job was unworkable, Gondal said that the management was not ready to reconsider.