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Concern over B-777s' quality
From AMRAIZ KHAN
LAHORE - The B-777s delivered to PIA earlier this year are stated to be not up to the required specification and the management has expressed its concern over its quality, sources in the national flag carrier confided to The Nation here on Sunday.
As per sources, the planes cannot gain the required height during flight and are consuming more fuel, causing loss to the airline.
Two reasons are being attributed to not gaining the required height - the fuel burden and climate of the country. The plane was purchased to fly non-stop to New York, Toronto and Chicago, so it has to carry a huge amount of fuel; consequently cannot gain the required height during the initial three hours flight.
However, when a certain quantity of fuel was consumed, the plane could gain required height - ‘’when a plane makes low flight it consumes more fuel’’ an official of engineering department said.
Temperature and climate of the country was also described as hindrance in the take off of the plane.
One of the staffer, serving in the said plane said that in-flight entertainment system was not properly working from the very first day of its operation. When asked, how the passengers were enduring such situation, he said, ‘’one passenger does not travel regularly, so who knows that the system of the plane was not functional; moreover, also Pakistani passengers travel by PIA just keeping in view their loyalty to the country not services.
A PIA official requesting anonymity said the said planes were purchased specially for the non-stop flight from Pakistan to US, but after their delivery to PIA, US security forces did not allow direct flights from Pakistani International Airports to USA.
According to the sources, US security forces declared Karachi airport as the only secured airport, and allowed direct flights from there - PIA was ready to operate its non-stop flights from Karachi but DG CAA took stand on the issue and did not allow operation from Karachi also.
Besides this, there was also shortage of the skilled pilots to operate the B-777 as only senior pilots could fly such planes. A number of pilots have already left the Airline to seek better opportunities of job.
According to the IATA rules the pilots operating B-777 were supposed to be relieved of duty three hours before and three hours after the flight in order to ready themselves for the next flight but the pilots were being given no such facilities.
To operate the B-777, a pilot will have to go through a training program. Some circles in PIA revealed that the airline was trying to come over the issue.
As cargo section of the plane is also very small, the cargo business has also been reduced, as per the sources.
Members of the board of directors were not informed about the details of the deal of the planes and they had no clue about the deal until February 26, 2004 when the PIA Board met for its 276th meting, even after the first plane had been delivered.
The management through a system of ‘circulation’ approved all the resolutions of the Board, which is another way of avoiding any serious discussion on the agenda.
When contacted to know the point of view of PIA, spokesman of PIA Capt. Hassan Jafery did not attend his mobile phone, whereas a family member of the other spokesman Bashir said he was not available at home.
http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/may-2006/22/index6.php
Concern over B-777s' quality
From AMRAIZ KHAN
LAHORE - The B-777s delivered to PIA earlier this year are stated to be not up to the required specification and the management has expressed its concern over its quality, sources in the national flag carrier confided to The Nation here on Sunday.
As per sources, the planes cannot gain the required height during flight and are consuming more fuel, causing loss to the airline.
Two reasons are being attributed to not gaining the required height - the fuel burden and climate of the country. The plane was purchased to fly non-stop to New York, Toronto and Chicago, so it has to carry a huge amount of fuel; consequently cannot gain the required height during the initial three hours flight.
However, when a certain quantity of fuel was consumed, the plane could gain required height - ‘’when a plane makes low flight it consumes more fuel’’ an official of engineering department said.
Temperature and climate of the country was also described as hindrance in the take off of the plane.
One of the staffer, serving in the said plane said that in-flight entertainment system was not properly working from the very first day of its operation. When asked, how the passengers were enduring such situation, he said, ‘’one passenger does not travel regularly, so who knows that the system of the plane was not functional; moreover, also Pakistani passengers travel by PIA just keeping in view their loyalty to the country not services.
A PIA official requesting anonymity said the said planes were purchased specially for the non-stop flight from Pakistan to US, but after their delivery to PIA, US security forces did not allow direct flights from Pakistani International Airports to USA.
According to the sources, US security forces declared Karachi airport as the only secured airport, and allowed direct flights from there - PIA was ready to operate its non-stop flights from Karachi but DG CAA took stand on the issue and did not allow operation from Karachi also.
Besides this, there was also shortage of the skilled pilots to operate the B-777 as only senior pilots could fly such planes. A number of pilots have already left the Airline to seek better opportunities of job.
According to the IATA rules the pilots operating B-777 were supposed to be relieved of duty three hours before and three hours after the flight in order to ready themselves for the next flight but the pilots were being given no such facilities.
To operate the B-777, a pilot will have to go through a training program. Some circles in PIA revealed that the airline was trying to come over the issue.
As cargo section of the plane is also very small, the cargo business has also been reduced, as per the sources.
Members of the board of directors were not informed about the details of the deal of the planes and they had no clue about the deal until February 26, 2004 when the PIA Board met for its 276th meting, even after the first plane had been delivered.
The management through a system of ‘circulation’ approved all the resolutions of the Board, which is another way of avoiding any serious discussion on the agenda.
When contacted to know the point of view of PIA, spokesman of PIA Capt. Hassan Jafery did not attend his mobile phone, whereas a family member of the other spokesman Bashir said he was not available at home.
http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/may-2006/22/index6.php
