Pakistan Government announces new airline to improve aviation industry and airline service standard
ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Airways has been registered in the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) as a ‘premium service subsidiary’ of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
The step has been taken to improve the service standards of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), announced a spokesman for the national flag carrier in a statement on Saturday.
“Reference media queries, please note that Pakistan Airways has been registered as a premium service subsidiary of PIA,” spokesperson Danyal Gillani said in a statement.
“This would help improve the service standard and image of the national airline,” the spokesperson added. The national flag carrier had earlier been transformed into a limited company instead of a corporation.
The new airline, Pakistan Airways, is expected to include Airbus 320 and Boeing 777 in its fleet, the company confirmed in a tweet.
The development comes over a week after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif vowed to bring the PIA at par with the Qatar Airways. “Now that Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) workers’ strike has ended, we will work towards bringing it at par with Qatar Airways” the premier said while addressing Pakistani community in Qatar’s capital of Doha.
The premier’s statement came a day after scoring a victory against the unions of PIA. The Joint Action Committee of PIA Employees (JACPIAE) called off its months-long series of protests and a subsequent strike on Tuesday (February 9), after eight days, against the government’s decision to privatise the national carrier.
The strike and protest demonstrations saw cancellation of hundreds of flights, killing of two PIA employees and eight others receiving injuries during skirmishes with the security personnel.
After the announcement, there has been a lot of chatter on twitter regarding #PakistanAirways
‘ Pakistan Airways’ is what Pak’s new, premium airline will be called. Will not only restore the former glory but will change Pak’s image IA
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) February 20, 2016
What a nice way to make others fool. When you can’t run a company, how can you run its subsidiary successfully? #PakistanAirways — Abbas Khan (@iamAbbasKhan) February 21, 2016
Great Initiative by PM #PakistanAirways This would help improve the service standard & image of the national airline pic.twitter.com/D2Lin2Nt0Y
— Atif Rauf (@Atifrauf79) February 21, 2016
I would’ve privatised PIA if I were in the authorities I personally don’t like the idea of subsidiaries Hope it goes well#PakistanAirways — Rana Shazib Khan (@RmShazib) February 21, 2016
Pak Airways account on twitter has this to say:
Restoring the image of #Pakistan abroad is our priority. #PakistanAirways
— Pakistan Airways (@Pak_Airways) February 21, 2016