Any idea the number of hours a PIA A310 is blocked annually by the President and the Prime Minster.
Plus instead of buying a $30 million used A310-300 for VVIP duties, would it not be better to charter a large 30 seat business jet on a daily or weekly basis??
Just how large are the delegations that go with the PM and the Prime Minister. Maybe its about time that the size of such a delegation comes scruitny.
I know for a fact that a number of Nawaz Sharif friends use to tag along on a number of foreign trips, just for fun, on the expense of the government.
Even if the annual bill of such a charter is around $2.0 million a year, it would be better then buying an A310 for $30 million, debt servicing of such an aircraft alone will cost the government around $2 million.
The government of Pakistan should forget the issue of prestige, and instead look at the fact that we begged countries around the world to house and feed the people effected by the October 8th earthquake.
BTW, the Iranian president just ordered the returned a $60 million VVIP aircraft to be used for commerical purpose.
Amaad Lone
PM & President Usage of PIA Aircraft
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It would be better if they pay that money to national carrier PIA, than any other company.
Besides flying in on a larger aircraft makes for a better image than arriving in some puny bizjet regardless of how luxorious its interior is, even using the 737 for VIP flights looks silly, and image counts these days inspite of the costs.
Besides flying in on a larger aircraft makes for a better image than arriving in some puny bizjet regardless of how luxorious its interior is, even using the 737 for VIP flights looks silly, and image counts these days inspite of the costs.
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I guess you are one of those people who judge a book by its cover.
Plus if a PIA aircraft is used for charter, the regular schedule gets disturbed.
Also how does one calculate the actual cost of withdrawing an A310-300 from the regular PIA flight schedule. Would the government pay PIA for the flying hours, or included the down time the aircraft is grounded for refitting the VIP interior.
The best choice would be to charter aircraft from a third source.
Amaad
Plus if a PIA aircraft is used for charter, the regular schedule gets disturbed.
Also how does one calculate the actual cost of withdrawing an A310-300 from the regular PIA flight schedule. Would the government pay PIA for the flying hours, or included the down time the aircraft is grounded for refitting the VIP interior.
The best choice would be to charter aircraft from a third source.
Amaad
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Yes I firmly believe in image counts, and only African countries or those whose airliens cannot relieve an aircraft from duty such as Nepal, Bhutan Iceland etc. seem to charter aircraft from third sources.
I dont know why its an issue when PIA is not anyones domain here, even if they are not comopensated and go at a loss, its a state enterprise and it better fulfill state duties, atleast till its state owned.
BTW PIA aircraft are not fitted with VIP interior for such trips who told you that? at the most they must be placing larger seats upfront on the 737 or configuring only that aicraft to VIP interior when its taken on these trips, and if you note the 737 is used very, very rarely, so far its only been to Delhi, Paro, Kabul and this middle east tour since the past few years, comapre to teh A310 usage on VIP duty.
I dont know why its an issue when PIA is not anyones domain here, even if they are not comopensated and go at a loss, its a state enterprise and it better fulfill state duties, atleast till its state owned.
BTW PIA aircraft are not fitted with VIP interior for such trips who told you that? at the most they must be placing larger seats upfront on the 737 or configuring only that aicraft to VIP interior when its taken on these trips, and if you note the 737 is used very, very rarely, so far its only been to Delhi, Paro, Kabul and this middle east tour since the past few years, comapre to teh A310 usage on VIP duty.
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