PIA chief targets zero corruption

[Abbas Ali]

3rd Global Marketing Conference

KARACHI: The two day 3rd Global Marketing Conference was inaugurated by Chairman and CEO of PIA Tariq Kirmani, who also addressed the gathering of nearly 200 officers from the head office and general managers, country managers from the entire PIA network – both domestic and international.

The conference was also attended by the deputy managing director and all the senior vice presidents of the airline. In his address, Chairman and CEO of PIA said that we must be able to extend our service beyond the sale of tickets. ”I am the first salesman of the company” he said, and everyone in PIA must be a salesman. We must reflect a clean image of PIA and get our act together, he added.

He said just as he was targeting a zero corruption policy he also wanted to reach a zero complaints point. Underlying the fact that the customer was most important, he said we must be courteous but firm while respecting him with dignity. He then talked to the delegates of the entire cycle of passengers’ trip from the time he books a seat to the time he collects his luggage and goes home. He said the passenger at all steps must feel comfortable and convenient. He urged the staffers to extend all possible help, take risks where required and concentrate on their work. All of us have to put our heads together for the improvement of PIA, besides being loyal to the airline.

Kirmani said PIA employees were the most important stakeholders and if they worked hard the result they produce will make the other stakeholders happy and will also be helpful in getting more passengers and leading increase in revenues that in turn pays good dividends to the share holders.

He further said that all operational indicators of the airline showed positive increase and had it not been for the increase in fuel prices the airline in the last 15 months would have made a profit of Rs 7-8 billion. In the same period the hike in fuel prices had risen from Rs 18 billion to 30 billion, an increase of Rs 12 billion or 47 percent or nearly half of the total revenue of PIA.

This figure was even Rs 1 billion more than the entire salary package of PIA employees. Thus, fuel cost was the greatest challenge for PIA, Tariq Kirmani observed.

Finally, he informed the delegates that he had proposed a Fuel Equalization Fund in the government and the preliminary approval was in place, although PIA has been advised that it is not the right time to hedge.

Senior Vice President Syed Kamran Hassan made a presentation on the performance of PIA’s entire global network up to June 2006.

Source: The News

[sAAd]

i dont like kirmani...
hes made a mess of the airline!!