National flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), is being grilled continuously by its hosts at international destinations for delayed flights and putting passengers in trouble. According to well informed sources, Frankfurt Airport Slot Performance Monitoring Committee (SPMC) has sought explanation from PIA over unsatisfactory punctuality rate in the current winter season.
At about the same time Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) also does not seem too satisfied with the punctuality of PIA flights and has suggested making efforts to control this 'deficiency'. According to the letter written by SPMC to the PIA management, they had in a meeting recently found that a high unpunctuality rate existed for PIA's flights operating to Frankfurt Airport as compared to the previous winter season, which was quite unsatisfactory.
"In order to clarify the situation and to avoid future irregularities in your slot performance, please send us by February 25 a written explanation why these discrepancies have occurred, while at the same time an improvement is expected," the committee stated.
The committee also stated that they would continue to monitor PIA closely with regard to slot performance. During the last three months (from November 2012 to January 2013) PIA operated a total of 25 flights to Frankfurt, out of which 20 flights were unpunctual with 80 percent ratio. This is way much against the last winter season when PIA operated total 26 flights out of which 18 were unpunctual with 69 percent ratio. Besides, PIA operated 25 departing flights during the last three months of winter, out of which 15 were unpunctual with 60 percent ratio.
Similarly, the DIAL has sent PIA details of slot performance during January which shows that PIA departure flights at Indira Gandhi International Airport maintained only 15 percent punctuality of being on time. In the category of arrivals, it maintained only seven percent on time punctuality during the said period.
"You are receiving this data so that reason of delays can be analysed and eliminated. You are requested to analyse and share the reasons of delays with us. We are confident that combined efforts of all of us will improve performance of flights not only at Delhi but also throughout the network to give passengers a fantastic on time experience of flying," the communication sent to PIA management by DIAL stated.
According to the departure details, PK-271 was 100 percent late up to 15 minutes; PK-273 maintained 66 percent punctuality for the delay of more than 120 minutes; similarly, for arrivals, PK 270 was 30 minutes late and PK-272 was late for 31 to 60 minutes.
Sources said that PIA had become the ultimate target of humiliation of international aviation bodies due to its severe violations of rules and regulations with no punctuality at all. "It seems safe to say that PIA is being run like a bus service and the people running it appear to have no aviation background at all. They had better go and run their private business instead of making this national asset a mess," said a frequent traveller.
Sources lamented that PIA was being continuously grilled by international aviation authorities and facing dangers of bans from many reputable airports, but the issue of incessant flight delays had not been controlled yet. "It is sad to know that PIA once among the reputable airlines of the world has now earned very bad reputation at the international front. The saddest thing is that nobody in the management is realising the gravity of the situation, reasoned the source."
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