Daily Times

From “Great People to Fly With” to “We Fly at the Right Attitude” to “Book us but we won’t guarantee you reaching home,” Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) performance is nothing short of a roller coaster ride. Many a government came with a resolve to improve its affairs, hold its hand and steer it towards the significant position it once held in the aviation industry while representing the national carrier of Pakistan. However, the last stint of the caretaker government finally coughed out the courage to move towards the unimaginable and painstakingly carved out a plan to restructure the airline so that its liabilities could be dusted off.

With the board of directors approving a privatization and restructuring plan for PIA, a shift towards enhancing the airline’s operational efficiency and financial stability becomes palpable. There appears no clamour of the worker unions that previously did not waste any time before taking out their pots and pans in response to any such development. Just as phenomenal has been the recent efforts by the Foreign Minister and Aviation Minister to ensure the national carrier is once again allowed to fly in British skies. From the looks of it, they are trying to open up new routes; paving the way for increased connectivity and revenue generation.

Nevertheless, the positive outlook and plans for revival have largely become a routine matter. PIA has been suffering from a myriad of challenges; something beyond the capacity of lipservice and hollow announcements. The airline must address the root causes of its inefficiencies, including issues related to governance, management, and operational practices. Moreover, the financial constraints and debt burdens faced by PIA pose significant obstacles to its sustainable growth. In addition, PIA faces stiff competition from other airlines in the region and must adapt to changing customer preferences and market dynamics to remain competitive.

There’s no denying the future of PIA but no matter how promising the plans may seem or how greener the pastures may be, no substantial progress can be achieved without plans for long-term sustainability. It is essential to address that merely months ago, over 80 flights got cancelled because its fuel supplier had refused to dole out any more free oil. Instead of whipping up colourful facades or kicking the can further down the road, the state needs to contemplate strategic planning, effective management, and a customer-centric approach. It may be necessary to use the axe now. *