PIA’s journey from premier to primitive service

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan International Airlines has often been in the headlines and mostly due to the wrong reasons. A comparative analysis of the safety standards practiced by international airlines ranks PIA the second most dangerous in the world to fly with, only after Ethiopia’s national flag carrier.

A fatal crash of its Chitral-Islamabad flight three months ago that claimed lives of 48 passengers and crew, is still afresh in the public memory. Instead of fixing the safety-related issues resulting in such tragedies, a black goat was sacrificed and the air service resumed on the route.

A month later, PIA returned into news again. This time, the airline’s Karachi-Madina flight was found flying overloaded. As many as seven passengers were forced to stand throughout the travel as excess passengers were boarded in a serious breach of air safety regulations. Needless to remind, PIA was caught of committing this breach, not a bus on a local route.

Such scary incidents were in mind as I planned my trip for London. A stopover in Istanbul was the reason behind choosing Turkish Airlines for departing journey. However, PIA was my preferred option for the return flight from London. The reason was obvious. The airlines’ premier service had been inaugurated in August 2016.

The aircraft were supposed to be in brand new conditions with a promise to give passengers a better experience. They were equipped with LCD screens and in-flight entertainment with 250 channels on offer, we were told. I was reassured that the plane, I travel, would be operated by Sri Lankan airline with whom a wet lease was signed for starting this much-trumpeted premier service.

The journey, however, turned out to be a different experience. The plane I boarded was acquired on lease, however, not from Sri Lanka. Being ill-equipped was yet another distinction of this Boeing 777. I surfed for the in-flight entertainments and the screen turned out blank. “Welcome Onboard,” was displayed on it.

An announcement by flight attendant apologised in advance for any inconvenience that was to follow. The meal was in a bad taste. Upon inquiry, it turned out that a Pakistani restaurant in London is a food supplier.

How the contract was awarded and what standards are practiced is best known to the PIA management headed by German Chief Executive Officer. The plane crew was scared of passengers’ reaction but helpless.

The lights on seat-side were largely out of order. A passenger was busy in book reading as the main lights were switched off. He tried in vain to turn on the light reserved for his seat. When he pointed towards this problem, the flight attendant offered him a torch for reading instead.

Meanwhile, a diabetic patient sought help of the crew. He wanted to keep insulin in refrigerator. There was no such facility, to his shock. As a make-shift arrangement, the torch was offered for reading, insulin was kept in the ice reserved for soft drinks. This reminded me an international journey in PIA in 2015 when no salad was offered with the meal. Upon inquiry, it was told that the plane had no facility to preserve it in absence of refrigerator.

Story of this latest travel doesn’t end here. A woman approached a flight attendant. She was looking for microwave oven for putting on heat the milk for her baby. This facility was also found missing. The flight attendant had to do the needful by putting baby feeder in hot water which was reserved for making tea and coffee.

There I wondered if this is the premier service that prime minister had inaugurated with fanfare. I was told that the lease had been cancelled and PIA is back to square one. It was not less than a shock. Passengers who were booked for Sri Lankan airline-operated premier service must have been informed in advance, allowing them to revisit their decision if they want.

When checked with PIA officials upon return to Pakistan, it was transpired that negotiations were in progress to resume the service by acquiring Turkish aircraft on lease. When will it materialize is anybody’s guess. There is no credible assurance being offered at official level. This is a small journey of PIA from premier to primitive service where the aircraft are unable to ensure the basic facilities.

As for as the safety features of the Boeing 777 under-question are concerned a lot has already been written. An official letter (FLT OPS/TECH/51 dated November 17, 2015, PIA Flight Operation Department) printed in newspapers after the lease of these planes revealed that the leased planes lacked many essential items and safety measures were missing compared to the other planes in PIA fleet.

The letter pointed out absence of surveillance cameras which are displayed in the cockpit. This feature is crucial for ensuring safety of passengers. However PIA spokesman then said lack of such features won’t undermine the security. Neither such clarifications are anew nor the risk and inconvenience that passengers face.