ISLAMABAD: The national flag carrier of Pakistan has reduced its workforce by nearly 40 per cent, the Economic Survey 2021-2022 revealed.
The survey further revealed a revenue decline in PIA for 2021 as compared to 2020, showing an operating revenue of Rs86,185 million in 2021 as compared to Rs94,683in 2020; whereas, the operating expenses have been decreased from Rs102,912 million in 2020 to Rs101,212 million in 2021 resulting in an operating loss of Rs15,027 million on 2021.
The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has brought down its ratio of employees per aircraft from 14,500 regular employees to 8,156 bringing per aircraft ratio from 550 to 250.It will come down to 230 by the end of the year, the survey stated.
The reduction in the workforce was down to the initiation of the Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS), as well as, the weeding out of fake degree holders and employees terminated on disciplinary grounds.
According to the survey, a detailed study was carried out which revealed that the HR ratio is higher than available aircraft in the fleet. In a result, a VSS was launched and in which 1,816 employees benefited from this scheme.
The PIA has taken measures for revamping its operation in FY2022, the survey stated, through which the PIA has started its fleet replenishment and is adding on new aircrafts in its fleet. The PIA has added two A320 in the first quarter of 2022 and plans to add four more Airbuses A320s during 2022.
Besides, it stated that the decision of induction of fuel-efficient narrow body aircraft overall fits perfectly in the PIA’s new direction to capitalize and consolidate itself on the productive domestic and regional routes, paving the way for expansion back on the medium and long haul routes of Europe, UK and North America.
The PIA Engineering and Maintenance (E&M) capability was enhanced to handle state-of-the-art modern fleet including Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A350/A330/A320 NEO fleet, the survey stated.
The PIA commissioned an ATR shed in North Wing of Pakistan, i.e., Islamabad providing maintenance service level up to check ‘A’ level on Airbus A320/Boeing B777 and up to maintenance check ‘C’ level on ATR fleet.
The MRO IT, an ERP solution for maintenance activities are being implemented in the PIA Engineering. The PIA (E&M) regulatory approval base has considerably increased it stated while adding that in addition to approval from PCAA, PIA hold regulatory approvals from foreign civil aviation authorities such as QCAA (Qatar), PACA (Oman), GACA (Saudi Arabia), BCAA (Bahrain), and CAASL (Sri Lanka).
The Economic Survey further revealed that loss-making routes were closed as part of a route rationalization process and frequencies were increased on profit-making routes. Upon acquisition of more aircraft, the PIA will certainly avail opportunities to expand its network, it maintained.
In order to ensure on-time departures and to avoid delays, special public awareness campaigns were created using mainstream and social media especially consequent to the prevailing Covid-19-related SOPs/PCR testing and delays due to adverse weather conditions/ fog, etc.
The PIA sent over 15 million flight information SMS to its valued customers to save them from any hassle especially when a flight is delayed due to some reason. The SOP to send SMS for flight details/ schedule confirmation and/ or for any delay in disruption has resulted in tremendously reducing customer complaints and annoyance.
The survey further stated that a very effective baggage identification system WTR (World Tracer Management) has been introduced through which the misplaced baggage is delivered to the passengers in a very short time.
Manpower rationalization has been achieved. Cabin crew strength has been brought down from 1500 plus (2019) to 1025(2021), it stated. Maximum flight assignments are being done from base to base in order to reduce domestic travel and hotel accommodation.
Flight operation (cabin crew) of Multan, Sialkot and Faisalabad is being supported by LHE and ISB bases. Passengers Services System (Hitit) was operationalized and implemented which resulted in significant savings.
Increase in global distribution and sales network by bringing Sabre, Travel port and Amadeus on board without exclusivity. The efforts of the PIA in the largest repatriation operations consequent to the Covid-19 outbreak and uplifting of more than 100 million vaccines from China to Pakistan to strengthen the efforts of the NCOC and the NDMA were also highlighted to the nation, it stated.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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