PIA to Dry Lease 4 Wide-body and 4 Turboprop Aircraft

[haroon_ek]

Delivery requirement: Immediate but not later than 31 july 14

Where on earth are these newish aircraft going to come from?

What a joke of a tender.

I guess they are seeking Boeing to lease a brand new aircraft! PIA nowadays dreaming, not realizing.

[Abbas Ali]

Seems PIA has issued such bidding invitations without consulting Privatization Commission / Finance Minister.

Dar criticises PIA ‘go-it-alone’ approach

MUBARAK ZEB KHAN

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday directed the secretary aviation division to keep the Privatisation Commission in the loop in every plan involving the Pakistan International Airlines.

The move could prove to be a blow to the national carrier’s independence.

Though the issue was not on the agenda of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), Privatisation Commission chairman Mohammad Zubair raised it without informing the commission, a source privy to the meeting told Dawn.

“We are already talking to investors for the 26 per cent strategic sale of PIA with management control,” Mr Zubair said, complaining that the PIA has initiated its own plans while the commission is appointing financial advisers.

The visibly agitated minister asserted that the government will not tolerate any misstep that disturbs the roadmap of the privatisation, as in the case of PTCL.

Recently, PIA has announced a series of initiatives including expansion in fleet and purchase of new planes.

Source: http://www.dawn.com/news/1086854/dar-cr ... e-approach

Abbas

[taha_imran4]

Ishaq dar!

[Yasir Airways]

ahh! so our dreams will never come true!

[Moin]

They're acting like new 777's are available 'off the shelf' which is not the case.

[mac777]

ya. u r all rite. it is tailor made for 777w unless some1 quotes dirt cheap A340-600. do they mention the range? if it was 370+ a high density a330-300 can in theory can compete( air asiaX operates with 12 business seat and 367 eco in 3-3-3 lay-out)
can they afford such a young fleet of 777 and who have it available? airplanes are not cars!
y not ask for 6-7 yr old planes?

[Adnan Anwar]

The 4 widebody with 390 seats is aimed at 777-300s.

A fleet of 18 777 will fly where?

I think the five 777-300ERs due for 2015 are not going to be delivered.

I have the same feeling the PIA cannot afford new B777-300ER, I am appalled how they will afford new leases when they cannot afford maintaining engines on existing B777.

[Moin]

Can it be assumed that at the time PIA ordered the 5 B77W last year that a deposit was paid to Boeing for the planes? This could be a completely different deal altogether and just might achieve fruition. Truth is stranger than fiction and in PIA strange things are known to happen. I did hear that PIA was asked if they would like to 'sell' their delivery slots for the 5 planes to another airline, I'm not sure which one but it could be EK in which case I'm hoping they did/do not as its PIA that badly needs additional a/c joining their fleet not EK, who are on more of an ego trip than anything else and IF, this is a big IF they also decide to exercise the purchase rights for an additional 5 B777's, they should look at the 777X (i.e. 2 B777-8X and 3 B7779X) as this new variant will well be into production by that time.

[Ronald_Arif]

I travelled from JFK to LHE on PK-722 in 2011. Terrible seats and entertainment system never worked properly.
Next time I took Emirates from DFW to DXB to LHE. Difference between night and day.

I believe PIA is up for a merger with one of the middle-eastern airlines like Ettihad or Emirates.

[fatah]

I travelled from JFK to LHE on PK-722 in 2011. Terrible seats and entertainment system never worked properly.
Next time I took Emirates from DFW to DXB to LHE. Difference between night and day.

I believe PIA is up for a merger with one of the middle-eastern airlines like Ettihad or Emirates.

I beg to differ on the seats, I am referring economy class. PIA wins hands down in that category. In the 777s PIA has 9 abreast seating, and Emirates squeezes everyone into 10 abreast. That makes a huge difference in any long haul flight. Although I completely agree with you with regards to the entertainment system and other matters such as the cleanliness of the aircraft.

[imran747]

if PK maintain consistant services standard and esp on part of ground staff the experience can be made better.

for example, ek customers in dxb receive very nice priority treatment, seprate terminal, etc.

in many cases flight of PK starts great but on landing the chaos confusion and rude attitude of ground staff acting kings puts off the effort of cabin crew.

[Abbas Ali]

Four Boeing 777 and four ATR 72-500 aircraft will be acquired on dry lease.

Source: DAWN

Abbas

[Amaad Lone]

What happened to the five new 777s due for 2015?

With four 777 required by July means the the jumbos will be scrapped so the need for more 777s in 2015 seems pretty pointless.

Why is PIA floating the 2010 date??

Looks like they have tailor made the tender for specific aircraft and specific leasing company.

[A310]

Yes. Jumbos will not be planned on any flight from 1st April onwards. Jumbo flights will be distributed amongst A310s and B777s. Furthermore B747 crew are being transitioned onto the aircraft their seniority falls on. This marks the end of Jumbo era i guess.

[imran747]

good news but sad at same time jumbo will continue on ad hoc basis