PIA Invites Bids for All Economy Conversion of Five Boeing 777 Aircraft

[Abbas Ali]

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) invites sealed bids from renowned manufacturer/their authorized distributors for following project:

All economy conversion of five Boeing 777 aircraft.

In October 26 newspaper:



Abbas

[Amaad Lone]

Great move.

The 35 club class seats being replaced by 72 economy class seats.

The revenue per flight should jump.

[Usman123]

Excellent decision good progress on PIA business plan by this government

[Abbas Ali]

Conversion of following five PIA Boeing 777 aircraft from two class configuration into one class all economy configuration.

3 x Boeing 777-200ER

AP-BGJ - Boeing 777-200ER manufacturer serial number 33775 built in year 2004.
AP-BGK - Boeing 777-200ER manufacturer serial number 33776 built in year 2004.
AP-BGL - Boeing 777-200ER manufacturer serial number 33777 built in year 2004.

2 x Boeing 777-300ER

AP-BHV - Boeing 777-300ER manufacturer serial number 33778 built in year 2006.
AP-BID - Boeing 777-300ER manufacturer serial number 33780 built in year 2008.

Mandatory Requirement

Project Scope:

Removal of existing Business class seats from front cabin along with IFE
Installation of economy class seats along with same IFE as in main cabin
Addition/relocation of PSUs/ O2 in front cabin to meet the requirement of 09 abreast seating configuration.
Modification of forward monument for Literature pockets
Complete interface of IFE system with Boeing systems according to new configuration
Any changes in ElMS power panel/ EEPMS/raceways/seat track covers/carpet drawings
Dog-house/ monument changes according to LOPA
ISPS (PC Power) deactivation

Cabin, row numbering placard

Current Product Details:

Existing configuration:

Boeing 777-300ER (02 Class configuration)

Business class: 35 pax (07 abreast seat) , Model Perseus, Manufacturer : Avio Interior
Economy Class seats: 358 (09 abreast seat), Model RECARO model 3410 and 318
Series 3410 Manufacturer: Recaro
IFE: Panasonic 3000i
PSS: Control by Panasonic IFE

Boeing 777-200ER (02 Class configuration)

Business class: 35 pax (07 abreast seat) , Model EVA, Manufacturer : Avio Interior
Economy Class seats: 275 (09 abreast seat), Model RECARO model 3410 and 318
Series Manufacturer: Recaro
IFE: Panasonic 3000
PSS: Control by Panasonic IFE

Required configuration

Boeing 777-300ER (single class configuration – All economy)

Economy Class seats: 420 plus seats (09 abreast seat), Model RECARO model 3410 and 318 Series Manufacturer: Recaro
IFE: Panasonic 3000i
PSS: Control by Panasonic IFE

Boeing 777-200ER (single class configuration – All economy)

Economy Class seats: 340 plus seats (09 abreast seat), Model RECARO model 3410 and 318 Series Manufacturer: Recaro
IFE: Panasonic 3000
PSS: Control by Panasonic IFE

Project Deliverables:

1. EASA STC/ FAA STC/ Service bulletin/Installation instructions
2. Instructions of continued airworthiness
3. All necessary drawings/ documents, electrical load analysis, emergency equipment etc
4. Panasonic seat database
5. Boeing CSS Database

Project Exclusions:

Seats and seats parts (BFE Item)
Seats upholstery, cabin curtain and carpet kits (BFE Item)
All Boeing and IFE parts

Important Points:

All BFE items will be manage by PIA
Bidder must be FAA or EASA approved design organization
CVE visit expense must be inclusive in commercial proposal
A separate cost must be quoted if any work is required as a seat modifier (as an option).

Abbas

[Amaad Lone]

Boeing 777-300ER (02 Class configuration)
Business class: 35 pax (07 abreast seat) , Model Perseus, Manufacturer : Avio Interior
Economy Class seats: 358 (09 abreast seat), Model RECARO model 3410 and 318

Boeing 777-300ER (single class configuration – All economy)
Economy Class seats: 420 plus seats (09 abreast seat), Model RECARO model 3410 and 318 Series Manufacturer: Recaro

777-300ER currently have 358 seats in economy and 35 in club or a total of 393 seats.
After removing 35 seats in the forward cabin they will add 62 seats, taking the total to 420.

Boeing 777-200ER (02 Class configuration)
Business class: 35 pax (07 abreast seat) , Model EVA, Manufacturer : Avio Interior
Economy Class seats: 275 (09 abreast seat), Model RECARO model 3410 and 318

Boeing 777-200ER (single class configuration – All economy)
Economy Class seats: 340 plus seats (09 abreast seat), Model RECARO model 3410 and 318 Series Manufacturer: Recaro

I do not understand it says that the 200ER has 275 seats in economy, but only the 200LRs have 275 seats the others have 294 seats.
If you follow the 62 seats in the forward cabin the total number of seats on the 200ER should go up to 356, not 340 like it is advertised.

Am I missing something??

[Usman123]

The bigger question is that they are refitting BGL is it even fit to fly??

[Amaad Lone]

The bigger question is that they are refitting BGL is it even fit to fly??

I am sure if BGL is brought back into service it will only be done if its airworthy, and that is a technical question which none of us can give.

[planefan2003]

Smells like another PIA scam to me I don’t see this ever happening, they can’t even get the numbers right

[Amaad Lone]

PIA should have done the following:

Convert the four 777-200ERs to all economy.

AP-BGJ
AP-BGK
AP-BMG
AP-BMH

Use these four 777-200ER for Saudi Arabian routes and other regional routes

Convert the remaining five operational 777s with LATEST Premium Economy Seats layout of 2-4-2 with 38 inch seat pitch that most good airlines are using.

AP-BHX
AP-BGY
AP-BGZ
AP-BHW
AP-BID

These five 777s can be used for routes where premium passengers are willing to pay the extra 20%, allowing PIA to compete better with airlines like virgin and BA once UK opens up, where PIA can use its 2 class 777s. The LRs can continue their Canadian flights with the upgraded PE seats.

787s have premium economy layout of 2-3-2 and on the 777 its 2-4-2.

[b78709]

May be PIA needs fewer club class seats say only two rows of club class. Getting rid of it altogether may not be a good idea.

[Amaad Lone]

May be PIA needs fewer club class seats say only two rows of club class. Getting rid of it altogether may not be a good idea.

why do you think PIA should retain two rows of club class seats? PIA sells them at 15-20 above economy class tickets, and they occupy double the space, what sense does it make to keep those seats?

[AviationLover2020]

May be PIA needs fewer club class seats say only two rows of club class. Getting rid of it altogether may not be a good idea.

PIA doesn't just need fewer club class seats, it also needs a newer/better club class. What is the target clientele for the current cabin? Not business class travellers obviously, since a) no IFE b) broken seats c) food is basically economy class (not even served in proper crockery and cutlery). That's why they rebranded it to Exec Economy, but this is even worse than most airlines' premium economy. In reality, the target clientele are those pax who might want a last minute upgrade for a few extra thousand rs. PIA Business Class is no longer business class in any sense of the word. I think until they can fix their premium cabins, better to just do economy. No club class pax would fly PIA over VS, EK, QR or BA - you'd have to make it dirt cheap to attract pax and at such prices, it's just more economic to put 2 economy seats instead of one club.

These five 777s can be used for routes where premium passengers are willing to pay the extra 20%, allowing PIA to compete better with airlines like virgin and BA once UK opens up, where PIA can use its 2 class 777s. The LRs can continue their Canadian flights with the upgraded PE seats.
787s have premium economy layout of 2-3-2 and on the 777 its 2-4-2.

Wouldn't be profitable even on UK routes unless PIA could fill up the cabin at a reasonable price. I doubt they can - 3 years without PIA, most UK/US premium pax have now shifted to other airlines and won't be coming back unless it's almost half the price of VS/BA/ME3. At that price, I doubt it is profitable. Really need to improve their business class offering if they want to start making money from club - business class is usually the cash cow for most airlines and sadly it's the opposite in PIA.

On a separate note, why is PIA still going 9 abreast? Go 10 abreast - every airline I can think of does 10 abreast in 777.

[Abbas Ali]

Bids submission date extended from November 28, 2022, to December 14, 2022, for PIA Boeing 777 Project 2022.

Corrigendum in November 25 newspaper:



Abbas

[Usman123]

Update?

[Amaad Lone]

AP-BGK returned to service after six months, wonder why it was not coverted to all economy??

removing the 35 "club class" seats and replacing them with 60 plus economy seats should not require a tender and or a special company to do it.

PIA in the past use to convert 747-300s and A300s to all economy for Hajj flights.

I do not see why we need a special firm to work on the 777 fleet.