That the national flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), is in trouble is a burden the country has had to bear for the last couple of decades now but just how deep it was drowning in its own cargo fuel has now become apparent with the government’s decision to finally privatise it. The airline that represented the heights to which Pakistan’s potential could climb has come crashing down, needing private investment to resuscitate itself. The first step in this process will begin with privatising 26 percent of the airline’s shares, hoping against hope that these steps will help PIA regain some of its past glory.
The airline’s disappointing performance of the last many years has been due to needless overstaffing, so much so that there are some 524 staff members for every flight — a number that stands as the highest in the world. The staff to seats ratio is higher than anywhere else making PIA a state institution that has done little more than drain the national exchequer of much needed funds. The reason for this overstaffing is a simple and selfish one: just like Pakistan Steel Mills, PIA is another state institution that has allowed various power-holders to install their supporters and favourites in sinecures and which they are unwilling to leave when push comes to shove. If such elements are ever shown the door, the labour unions intervene to make sure employees, even those appointed on the basis of nepotism, are not fired. Maybe that is why the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has decided that the party partaking in this privatisation bid also take over the management of the airline. This is of course an uphill endeavour. PIA has an aging fleet, its staff is not trained to match up to its international cabin and ground crew counterparts, safety standards are declining, there are many delays and cancellations and we have heard of PIA planes being close to crashing on many occasions. What seems like a white elephant is now up for privatisation, but will it really be that easy? Already the unions have started arching their eyebrows at potential job cuts and the Federal Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) has dismissed any need for privatisation, arguing turnaround is possible. Despite these roadblocks, it really does seem that the only way forward is for the privatisation process to kick in along with a major management overhaul. Even if this is stalled, time cannot be wasted when it comes to filtering out all those who are ‘overflowing’ in the organisation. PIA has got to cut its losses, in this case excessive staff, if it is to be a viable flag carrier. *