PIA Flights Schedule Affected by Pilots on 'go-slow' Protest

[Moin]

If certain crews are flying planes these days and not complaining, I cannot see why anyone else should have a problem. No, you're being overworked, you're working too long, you're tired and exhausted, you should rest and protest. This is what seems to be happening in my opinion. If I'm overworked, I would be the first one to complain about it but I certainly won't have anyone force me to say on my behalf that I'm overworked without my consent.

[globetrotter]

When people form groups and associations or unions then they are required to follow the rules and the policies of the organization and not create rules of their own. The ecnomic condition of indviduals usually has always forced these "hard working" individuals to make an extra buck or two when they can in such times. This carries a price of its own in shape of acuumulated fatigue...... and then accidents happen. This is what is meant by, "accidents do not happen, they are planned".

[fawad]

If certain crews are flying planes these days and not complaining, I cannot see why anyone else should have a problem. No, you're being overworked, you're working too long, you're tired and exhausted, you should rest and protest. This is what seems to be happening in my opinion. If I'm overworked, I would be the first one to complain about it but I certainly won't have anyone force me to say on my behalf that I'm overworked without my consent.

When you have the lives of so many people and (accumulated) fatigue has been a contributing factor in previous incidences and accidents, then I think someone should tell you you are too tired, rather than let you continue making a few bucks at the (potential) expense of hundreds of lives.

Makes sense, no?

[AN]

loosing the ability to make your decisions for yourself and relying on someone else to make them for you makes you, amongst other things, a poor pilot

[globetrotter]

AN - My dear friend, by your logic then the nations(excluding ours) and the societies that elect leaders must be all pretty dumb, each of them should decide for themselves and save trillions in government expenses....... we wlways need leaders, good ones, to guide the masses and lead them to success.

[Abbas Ali]

PIA Flight Schedule Normalised

KARACHI: PIA flight schedule of Sunday for domestic and international flights has normalised as cockpit crew timely reported for duty at all the major airports in the country, PIA spokesman said here on Sunday.

Five international and 13 domestic flights departed from Islamabad, eight international and 37 domestic flights from Karachi, while one international and nine domestic flights took off from Lahore according to the schedule.

However, 30 to 60 minutes delays were experienced in a few flights owing to consequential late arrival of aircraft, offloading of passengers at Islamabad and slot restriction at the Jeddah Airport.

Passengers and PIA Flight Operations Department showed a sigh of relief on the timely resumption of flights duty by pilots.

Source: 'Business Recorder' (August 30 print edition)

PALPA terms Essential Services Act ‘mini-martial law’

Flight operation normalised: PIA

By Bhagwandas

KARACHI, Aug 29: With the imposition of the Essential Services (Maintenance) Act of 1952 on the cockpit crew of the national flag carrier, the Pakistan International Airlines management announced on Sunday that its flight operation has been returned to normality, except a few delays.

However, the representative body of the PIA pilots — the Pakistan Airline Pilots Association (PALPA) — termed the imposition of the essential services act in the airlines ‘mini martial law’, claiming that it would jeopardise the flight and passengers safety.

The PIA management assured its 530 pilots and first officers that their entitlements, perks, benefits, emoluments, etc, would not be affected in the wake of the imposition of Essential Services (Maintenance) Act, 1952, which had been imposed only on the cockpit crew.

A PIA spokesman said that the domestic and international flights schedule for Sunday was normalised as the cockpit crew timely reported on their duties at all the major airports of the country.

He said that five international and 13 domestic flights departed from Islamabad; eight international and seven domestic flights from Karachi, while one international and nine domestic flights took off from Lahore according to the schedule.

He, however, said that 30 to 60 minutes delays were experienced in a few flights owing to consequential late arrival of aircraft, offloading of passenger at Islamabad and slot restriction at the Jeddah airport.

The PIA claimed that the members of the Pakistan Air Line Pilots Association (PALPA) had been observing a go-slow and also PALPA had been threatening its members of action if they did not follow its instructions owing to which the flight schedule was affected, passengers suffered and the airline’s goodwill and image suffered.

It said that the PIA followed the agreement it had entered with PALPA and had never compromised on safety as it had already been certified as a safe airline globally by the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) up to 2010. The only objection and correction made by IATA was that the pilots kept the cockpit door open, which should remain looked during flights.

It claimed that PALPA with its go slow had almost kept the PIA hostage owing to which the federal government had to invoke the Essential Services (Maintenance) Act, 1952 in a bid to save the national carrier.

Meanwhile, PALPA has expressed serious concern over the imposition of the essen tial services act, which it said had earlier been used by the dictatorial regimes, by a democratic government that was even allowing the trade union activities in many organisations where these were banned.

It feared that the dictatorial law would be misused by what they called politically appointed Managing Director Aijaz Haroon.

It said that though the management during a meeting held at the defence ministry had agreed to follow the agreement and the high court had also directed that the agreement be flowed till the issue was settled, the management violated it by forcing the cockpit crew to do more duty and less rest than what was prescribed in the agreement.

It said that earlier the cockpit crew objected to more duty and less rest than prescribed in the agreement but with the essential services act in place, the cockpit crew felt that it would be forced to perform duty more than allowed in agreement owing to which safety would be compromised.

It said that the lives of passengers and staff and aircraft were at a great risk after the implementation of the Act.

It urged the authorities to ensure that the working agreement between the PIA and PALPA was followed strictly and cockpit crew was not forced to fly extra flights.

Source: DAWN

[Hamad]

I read just now on ARY that PIA wants to resign 150 PIA Captains.
Any more information about that?

[pk363]

I read just now on ARY that PIA wants to resign 150 PIA Captains.
Any more information about that?

Should this be understood as '150 PIA capains now want resign'?

[Abbas Ali]

Pakistan Television News channel anchor some minutes ago spoke with Pakistan Air Line Pilots' Association (PALPA) President Capt. Sohail Baloch live via phone during 9:00PM news bulletin.

Capt. Baloch clarified that he's not aware of resignation tendered by 150 to 200 PIA pilots as claimed by some news sources.

Capt. Baloch said that pilots are obvisously disturbed/upset due to imposition of Essential Services (Maintenance) Act 1952 by PIA management. He said that imposition of this act under a democratically elected government is unfair.

Capt. Baloch added that PALPA will not ask its members to resign from their jobs as PIA pilots.

Capt. Baloch said that PIA and PALPA had reached accord on working agreement and it should be implemented. He said that PIA is the national airline of Pakistan and PALPA wants to play role in making PIA successful.

Btw, in such situations I think PALPA should also activate its own media relations cell and issue press releases to news media through email to clarify PALPA position regarding various news reports.

Anyway, let's hope PIA management and PALPA manage to end this dispute in amicable way in the best interest of the airline.

Abbas