Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Aviation Capt. Shujaat Azeem interviewed by Wajahat Saeed Khan at Islamabad Airport. PIA Airbus A320-214 registration AP-BLV visible in the background.
Interview of Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Aviation Capt. Shujaat Azeem was aired by Dunya News channel today. Wajahat Saeed Khan took the interview for his programme "Mahaaz - Wajahat Saeed Khan Kay Saath".
In the interview Mr. Azeem informed viewers that:
* PIA Boeing 777s Business Class will have modern Sogerma fully flat seats in next five to six months.
* Wi-Fi internet facility will also be introduced aboard PIA flights.
* PIA flights punctuality that was sixty-nine percent has increased to eighty-two percent. The aim is to further improve it and take it to eighty-five percent.
* Software for Crew Management will be outsourced to AIMS of Greece. PIA flight crews were able to choose duty on flights of their choice due to misuse of crew management software by airline's employees.
* Gulf airlines started operating flights from secondary airports like Multan, Faisalabad and Quetta after Pakistani airlines PIA, airblue and Shaheen Air were unable to meet demands for international flights from these airports.
* He said that PIA marketing department needs to improve its performance. Some German nationals have been hired to improve PIA marketing department.
* Pakistan Air Line Pilots' Association (PALPA) is a welfare organisation and should not dictate or interfere with matters/decisions related to PIA management and appointments in the airline. He also questioned how could twenty-five PALPA pilots of PIA get sick on same day? He said that such blackmailing tactics cannot be accepted. It's unfortunate that PALPA staged protest during Hajj flights operation.
* He also talked about renovation of Islamabad Airport with new taxiway, Installation of ILS CAT-IIIB at Lahore Airport, opening of new terminal building at Multan Airport, expansion of terminal buildings of airports of Quetta, Faisalabad and Peshawar, development of Gwadar International Airport by Chinese.
* Strategic investor for PIA was also discussed and he said that it will be beneficial for the airline.
* He said that he was a fighter pilot in Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and was court-martialled in 1979 on charges of insubordination. He reported fifteen minutes late for some task/duty and was court-martialled. Later he worked as pilot for Lebanese businessman/politician Rafic Hariri.
* He'll accept court decision on his appointment as Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Aviation.
* He resigned from Royal Airport Services (RAS) and gave up his shares in RAS to avoid conflict of interest.
* More than three hundred fake degree holders sacked by PIA.
* PIA average fleet age reduced. Fleet strength increased. There's plan to increase number of aircraft in PIA fleet to forty-two aircraft.
* Aviation experience is not necessary for managing an airline. Financial management knowledge is necessary. Chairman PIA Nasser NS Jaffer is a successful business man.
* Quality of PIA services to be improved so that passengers choose it for flying direct between Pakistan & Europe/North America instead of flying via Gulf countries on their airlines.
* Working as Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Aviation on honourary basis and not taking any salary for this post.
* PIA Training Centres established in various cities of Pakistan will produce aircraft engineers who will work in Pakistan and other countries.
Abbas
