PIA To Improve Engineering Facilities at Karachi Airport

[Abbas Ali]

PIA is going to improve airline's administration and engineering facilities at Karachi Airport. The plan includes construction of aircraft landing gear shop, plating shop, cleaning shop, non destruction testing shop, shot peering buildings, water treatment plant, emergency response centre and other allied facilities.

Here's the ad given in today's (August 28) newspaper.



On the Net: www.piac.com.pk

[pk363]

I dont think it is a wise step . With new Islamabad airport expected to be operational in next 3-4 years PIA should also start planning moving its hub there including the engineering facilities. No point in spending huge amounts on constructing such facilities at a station they have already surrendered to gulf carriers. PIA should start a new life out of NIIA as soon as it starts

[bernyjee]

I think it is a wise step indeed. KHI strategic location should never be under estimated. PIA and GOP both should consider attracting more international traffic there. For starters, if landing costs and refuel charges are considerably less than DXB, KHI can attract lots of transit traffic just like the decade of 60s when it was one of the busiest airport in Asia at one time. However, KHI should also not be used by PIA just as a maintenance base.

While establishing mature engineering presence at ISB and LHE are important because of their strategic location. Both of these airports can serve international carriers crossing over Pakistan other than PIA itself.

PIA can easily loose LHE and ISB to foreign carriers if it does not become competitive. The other day, I attended the Turkish Festival here in Chicago. Its District Manager told me that they want to fly to LHE daily from Istanbul (and Turkish serves ORD and JFK daily other than flying into DFW and some other US hubs) as soon as GOP gives them permission. It is only a matter of time before Turkish also established a decent presence in Pakistan.

[riz]

NDT & plating shop as well as landing gear shop . are much needed now old landing gear shop is crowded and NDT deptt. led by Mr. Syed mashkoor is very limited to one or 2 rooms only. extension at KHi engineering is much needed.
separate hangar for 777s should also be built but its no where in near sight.

[Abbas Ali]

separate hangar for 777s should also be built but its no where in near sight.

PIA had plans to construct a new state-of-the-art widebody aircraft maintenance hangar after the induction of brand new Boeing 777s and a tender notice was issued in this regard few years ago, if I remember correctly. But, looks like due to shortage of funds, plan to construct this new hangar has been put on hold.

Personally, I think it's a very good decision to upgrade and modernise PIA Engineering facilities at Karachi Airport. Karachi Airport is an established base for PIA Engineering. The association between PIA Engineering and Karachi Airport is many decades old and this relationship should be continued and expanded further. And, because PIA Training Centre is also based at Karachi that's why I also think it's good to have PIA Engineering based at Karachi for convenience and to provide better training facilities to PIA Engineering instructors and trainees.

However, a secondary branch of PIA Engineering can be established at Islamabad's new international airport to provide basic maintenance facilities to PIA aircraft at that airport like for example for ATR aircraft based at Islamabad Airport for operations to northern parts of Pakistan.

Btw, I remember there were reports about plans to shift PIA head office to Islamabad when capital city's new international airport becomes operational in few years' time.

As far as international passenger flights at Karachi Airport are concerned, PIA should never abandon Karachi. PIA should fight back and make all efforts to regain international passenger traffic lost to Gulf carriers at Karachi Airport. Beating Gulf carriers at Karachi Airport should be a top priority and should be taken as a challenge by PIA management. As I said in another post, Karachi as Pakistan's largest city can provide & guarantee high loads of passengers for all PIA international and domestic flights. PIA will have to offer competitive fares, more flight options with more non-stop flights from Karachi to international destinations with further improved in-flight service to regain passenger traffic lost to Gulf carriers. I'm sure PIA can do it with proper planning.

Here, it will also be interesting to know number of passengers carried by PIA compared with number of passengers carried by Gulf carriers from Karachi Airport. It will help in getting clear picture of the whole situation.

Abbas

[riz]

However, a secondary branch of PIA Engineering can be established at Islamabad's new international airport to provide basic maintenance facilities to PIA aircraft at that airport like for example for ATR aircraft based at Islamabad Airport for operations to northern parts of Pakistan.







Abbas

i think i should not disclose anything about the maintenance standards at existing ISB engineering base.
Engineering should remain at KHI for these planes sake.

[Abbas Ali]

Is all maintenance work of Islamabad-based PIA ATR 42-500 aircraft done at Islamabad Airport or do these aircraft visit Karachi airport for heavy maintenance work?

And do ATRs change their bases? I mean do Karachi-based ATRs get based at Islamabad after passage of some time and Islamabad-based ATRs take their place at Karachi base? Or change of bases happens frequently during ATR flights between northern and southern parts of Pakistan?

Abbas

[ilubflying]

I have seen ATR's getting some kinda maintenance at Isb airport quite often, even i have seen Airblue's A-319 under maintenance at isb airport few days ago.

[riz]

ISB based atrs are maintained there. i dont know about shuffling yet.

[Abbas Ali]

OCTOBER 30, 2009 - According to Aaj.tv news report, a complete PIA Engineering Complex will be established according to a statement by PIA Managing Director Capt. Aijaz Haroon. The Engineering Complex will offer facilities for complete overhaul of aircraft landing gear. PIA will be able to save two million US Dollars annually by getting aircraft engines completely overhauled at airline's own Engineering Complex.

Abbas

[Abbas Ali]

KARACHI (October 30, 2009): PIA Managing Director Capt. Aijaz Haroon opening a major project for the establishment of Engineering Complex for overhauling aircraft landing gear - Source: Daily Times - Boss (November 8, 2009 edition)