Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) appears to be in a state of somnolence over the growing bird menace, making safe landing and take off for the aircraft at the Jinnah International Airport Karachi, risky and unsafe. Although CAA is mandated to keep the sky clear and safe for incoming and outgoing aircraft, the incidence of 'bird hits' is on the increase, reflecting poorly on the efficiency and performance of gunmen employed by the CAA to shoot down the birds as their presence in the skies could result in major disaster.
According to an official report, bird hits among other causes have been one of the main reasons of PIA flight delays during the last three months. Around 138 flights in August, more than 278 in September and around 158 in the month of October were delayed due to bird hit factor and other CAA's issues, the report said.
Flight delays highlight the impact of one bird hit on the cash starved airline. One bird hit delays many flights, as the airline being short of aircraft and resources, finds it difficult to arrange aircraft replacement. PIA usually has series of flights designated to a single aircraft and the maximum turnaround time for each aircraft is too short making it rather impossible to maintain schedule even if the bird hit does not cause major damage.
Aviation experts believe that the airports now being close to residential areas unlike the past and specially the food left at marriage gardens and garbage dumped near runways attract the birds which get hit by incoming or outgoing aircraft due to low altitude. A source revealed that bird strikes were a major issue for PIA as it consumed large portion of revenues due to overhauling of engines. CAA has failed to minimise the impact or control the bird factor which was its prime responsibility; he said, adding more stringent measures were required by CAA to curb bird strikes to avert revenue loss to PIA.
He said controlling such delays was the domain of CAA and not PIA. "This results in revenue losses, disturbance in flight schedules and inconvenience to passengers which unfortunately are labelled as inefficiency of PIA."
The overall performance, however, is also not very encouraging at the national flag carrier. According to the source, PIA recorded only 67 percent punctuality in international flights and 81 percent at the domestic front. In August, out of a total of 1,172 delayed flights, some 658 delays were beyond the control of PIA. The figure was 865 out of 1,490 delays in the month of September, while 465 delays out of 1,050 was the figure for the month of October, beyond PIA capacity to control.
According to the report, 407, 550, and 468 flights were delayed in August, September and October respectively due to technical issues highlighting the state of affairs at the engineering department of the airline. Needless to mention that even the Supreme Court recently showed it's displeasure over PIA's frequent delays.
The Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) have also been found responsible for the delays of 239 flights in the last three months, making Pakistan International Airline (PIA) face the wrath of public. Source said that according to the statistics of flight delays from August 1 to October 31, ATCs were found as one of the major causes in delaying PIA flights through their late push backs, start-up clearances, slot restrictions etc.
"In August, total 70 flights were delayed due to ATCs, while in September and October they were responsible for the delays of 74 and 95 flights respectively. This is a serious concern because this is beyond PIA's control," said the source. As a matter of fact, he said that weather also played its part and delayed 255 flights in August, 279 in September and 72 flights in October, while other CAA administrative issues such as conveyor belts, parking stands for aircraft and runway repairs delayed 126, 144 and 88 flights in August, September and October respectively.
PIA's total losses have touched Rs 154 billion marks - Rs 70 billion in local currency and over $885 million in foreign currency. This was revealed by the management of PIA on Tuesday during a meeting of National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance. Members of the Committee said that PIA management had succumbed to political pressures for operating flights on non-viable routes and consequently facing huge losses, etc. Finance Ministry stated that the management of PIA was lacking focus and their marketing policies were totally flawed.