PIA flights airborne again

A PAKISTAN International Airlines (PIA) strike, which resulted in over 100 flights being cancelled, ended on 12 February after the resignation of the group’s managing director Aijaz Haroon.

The employees at the state-owned carrier protested against a proposal to share lucrative European and US routes with Turkish Airlines. The agreement has been suspended for the time being.

The strikers were also demanding the re-instatement of pilots and other staff recently suspended, and called for the sacking of Haroon, who has since been replaced by Nadeem Yousafzai.

PIA was forced to cancel all flights on 10 and 11 February and pulled some flights on 8 and 9 February as a result of the industrial action.

The state-owned carrier estimates that it has lost up to two billion Pakistani rupees (US$23.6 million) on its passenger and cargo operations as a result of the flight cancellations.

PIA has been hit hard recently by mounting debts and mismanagement.

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