Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has ordered aviation authorities to restructure the cash-strapped national flag carrier PIA which is making losses worth USD 3.68 million per month, according to an official statement.

Khan said this while presiding over a meeting on the aviation sector on Monday in the backdrop of the recent Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane crash in Karachi that claimed 98 lives.

"Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the country''s economy is facing difficulties and the people have had to bear the burden of billions of rupees loss on a monthly basis suffered by the state-owned entities," he said.

PIA’s Chief Executive Officer Air Marshal Arshad Malik gave a detailed briefing on the prevailing situation of the PIA, saying that it was suffering a loss of USD 3.68 million per month.

Malik said USD 14 million was being spent yearly on the payment of salaries to the PIA’s 14,500 employees alone.

He said litigation was one of the hurdles in the way of reform of the PIA as employees seek court orders to stay reforms and the legal processes linger on for years.

Malik said that he too could not perform his duties for three months out of his 16 months tenure due to a case against his appointment. “Due to such issues, the reforms process in the organisation has badly suffered,” he added.

The prime minister was also apprised that during the last 12 years, the PIA had 10 chiefs.

According to an official press release, the prime minister asked the PIA to bring down the expenditures and focus on increasing its income and upgrading its fleet.

He also directed to utilise the huge domestic and foreign assets of the PIA through a complete transparent and clear manner.

“The assets should create financial resources for the organisation instead of becoming a burden on the general public,” he said.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Minister for Information Senator Shibli Faraz, Adviser on Reforms Dr Ishrat Hussain, Special Assistant retired Lt Gen Asim Salim Bajwa and other senior officials.

A timeline for the restructuring of the PIA and a comprehensive roadmap over reforms and implementation was also submitted before the prime minister.

It was the first meeting on aviation after the recent PIA plane crash in Karachi and the CEO also apprised about the progress about the investigation into the crash and other relevant issues.

The PIA has been running into huge financial losses. For years, the airlines has only been adding billions to its loss sheets.

The PIA faced a huge loss worth Rs 180 million (USD 1.1 million) during 2016-27, according to Pakistani media reports.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has ordered aviation authorities to restructure the cash-strapped national flag carrier PIA which is making losses worth USD 3.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has ordered aviation authorities to restructure the cash-strapped national flag carrier PIA which is making losses worth USD 3.68 million per month, according to an official statement. Khan said this while presiding over a meeting on the aviation sector on Monday in the backdrop of the recent Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane crash in Karachi that claimed 98 lives. "Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the country''s economy is facing difficulties and the people have had to bear the burden of billions of rupees loss on a monthly basis suffered by the state-owned entities," he said. PIA’s Chief Executive Officer Air Marshal Arshad Malik gave a detailed briefing on the prevailing situation of the PIA, saying that it was suffering a loss of USD 3.68 million per month. Malik said USD 14 million was being spent yearly on the payment of salaries to the PIA’s 14,500 employees alone. He said litigation was one of the hurdles in the way of reform of the PIA as employees seek court orders to stay reforms and the legal processes linger on for years. Malik said that he too could not perform his duties for three months out of his 16 months tenure due to a case against his appointment. “Due to such issues, the reforms process in the organisation has badly suffered,” he added. The prime minister was also apprised that during the last 12 years, the PIA had 10 chiefs. According to an official press release, the prime minister asked the PIA to bring down the expenditures and focus on increasing its income and upgrading its fleet. He also directed to utilise the huge domestic and foreign assets of the PIA through a complete transparent and clear manner. “The assets should create financial resources for the organisation instead of becoming a burden on the general public,” he said. The meeting was attended by Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Minister for Information Senator Shibli Faraz, Adviser on Reforms Dr Ishrat Hussain, Special Assistant retired Lt Gen Asim Salim Bajwa and other senior officials. A timeline for the restructuring of the PIA and a comprehensive roadmap over reforms and implementation was also submitted before the prime minister. It was the first meeting on aviation after the recent PIA plane crash in Karachi and the CEO also apprised about the progress about the investigation into the crash and other relevant issues. The PIA has been running into huge financial losses. For years, the airlines has only been adding billions to its loss sheets. The PIA faced a huge loss worth Rs 180 million (USD 1.1 million) during 2016-27, according to Pakistani media reports.

Imran Khan orders reforms in Pakistan International Airlines to bring down losses

Pakistani aviation authorities have revealed that the&nbsp;pilots of the Pakistan International Airlines' (PIA) aircraft, that&nbsp;crashed into a residential district of Karachi last month, had ignored air traffic control`s instructions for landing.

In a letter sent to PIA, the Civil Aviation Authority said an approach controller warned the pilot twice to discontinue its current approach, but the pilot did not pay heed to the orders.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/pakistan/pakistan-investigators-to-start-decoding-black-box-of-crashed-craft-from-june-02-in-france-302136">Also read:&nbsp;Pakistan: Investigators to start decoding black box of crashed craft from June 02 in France</a>

Initial reports suggested the plane scraped its engines along the runway on a first attempt to land following what appeared to be an unstable approach, arriving steep and fast.

As the passenger plane&nbsp;came close to landing, the plane's ground speed was more than the runway threshold, according to the controller. The plane lifted from the runway surface and crashed into the residential colony, while attempting a second approach.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/pakistan/black-box-recovered-from-pakistan-airplane-crash-site-300652">Also read:&nbsp;Black box recovered from Pakistan airplane crash site</a>

The flight had been observed as being high for approach as it passed Makli, about 100 km east of Karachi. The pilot was warned twice, but he continued with the descent by claiming he was comfortable with it.

The PIA Airbus A320 crashed in Karachi on May 22 while landing, and the pilots reported loss of both engines.&nbsp;Ninety seven people on board were killed;&nbsp;two survived. At least one person was reported to have died on the ground, and several other were injured.

The black box found from the crash site is being decoded by&nbsp;French air accident agency BEA.

Pakistani aviation authorities have revealed that the pilots of the Pakistan International Airlines' (PIA) aircraft, that crashed into a residential district of Karachi last month, had ignored air traffic control`s instructions for landing.

Pakistani aviation authorities have revealed that the pilots of the Pakistan International Airlines' (PIA) aircraft, that crashed into a residential district of Karachi last month, had ignored air traffic control`s instructions for landing. In a letter sent to PIA, the Civil Aviation Authority said an approach controller warned the pilot twice to discontinue its current approach, but the pilot did not pay heed to the orders. Also read: Pakistan: Investigators to start decoding black box of crashed craft from June 02 in France Initial reports suggested the plane scraped its engines along the runway on a first attempt to land following what appeared to be an unstable approach, arriving steep and fast. As the passenger plane came close to landing, the plane's ground speed was more than the runway threshold, according to the controller. The plane lifted from the runway surface and crashed into the residential colony, while attempting a second approach. Also read: Black box recovered from Pakistan airplane crash site The flight had been observed as being high for approach as it passed Makli, about 100 km east of Karachi. The pilot was warned twice, but he continued with the descent by claiming he was comfortable with it. The PIA Airbus A320 crashed in Karachi on May 22 while landing, and the pilots reported loss of both engines. Ninety seven people on board were killed; two survived. At least one person was reported to have died on the ground, and several other were injured. The black box found from the crash site is being decoded by French air accident agency BEA.

Pakistan: PIA pilots ignored warnings from controller before crash

The investigation on the voice recorders found in the crashed Pakistan flight's cockpit will commence from June 2 in France, the French aviation investigation authority has said.

The crash killed 97 people in total, including 90 passengers and a crew of eight, when it crashed into the Jinnah Garden area near Model Colony in Malir on Friday, minutes before its landing.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-rs-30-million-cash-found-from-wreckage-of-crashed-aircraft-301787">Also read|&nbsp;Pakistan: Rs 30 million cash found from wreckage of crashed aircraft</a>

The investigation of the crashed Airbus A320 aircraft, of the national carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), will be done by&nbsp;an 11-member team of experts from an Airbus facility in the French city of Toulouse. The team arrived in Pakistan last week to conduct an independent probe into the crash involving its aircraft.&nbsp; The team&nbsp;includes experts from France, Germany, the UK and other countries.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
(1/2) ⚠️ Accident <a href="https://twitter.com/Airbus?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Airbus</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/A320?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#A320</a> AP-BLD <a href="https://twitter.com/Official_PIA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Official_PIA</a> / the mission on site is about to be completed / <a href="https://twitter.com/BEA_Aero?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BEA_Aero</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Airbus?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Airbus</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SafranEngines?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SafranEngines</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CFM_engines?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CFM_engines</a> &amp; Pakistan’s AAIB team will then fly to France.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PIA8303?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PIA8303</a> <a href="https://t.co/IMKOUC4xLH">pic.twitter.com/IMKOUC4xLH</a>
— BEA ✈️ 🚁🛩 🇫🇷 (@BEA_Aero) <a href="https://twitter.com/BEA_Aero/status/1266630137258430465?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The flight data recorder (FDR) records time, altitude, airspeed, heading, and aircraft attitude and other in-flight characteristics. The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) records the audio environment in the flight deck, and is useful in cases of accidents and incident investigation purposes.&nbsp;It records and stores the audio signals of the microphones and earphones of the pilots' headsets and of an area microphone installed in the cockpit, which helps the investigators figure out the cause and happenings of the crash.

The BEA said that Pakistan's Aircraft Accident and Investigation Board (AAIB) team will fly to France after the work on the crash site is completed. "The mission on site is about to be completed. @BEA_Aero @Airbus @SafranEngines @CFM_engines &amp; Pakistan's AAIB team will then fly to France," it said in the tweet.

The investigation team, which reached Karachi on May 26, was to return after two days. However, as the team was unable to gather key evidence, the team extended their stay and conducted a forensic&nbsp;examination of the aircraft wreckage.

They also collected different parts of the plane that would help in identifying the cause of the crash.

The team also visited&nbsp;the radar centre at the Jinnah International Airport and the control tower to review the conditions, and collected parts of the crashed structure that can help them in investigating.

The investigation on the voice recorders found in the crashed Pakistan flight's cockpit will commence from June 2 in France, the French aviation investigation authority has said.

The investigation on the voice recorders found in the crashed Pakistan flight's cockpit will commence from June 2 in France, the French aviation investigation authority has said. The crash killed 97 people in total, including 90 passengers and a crew of eight, when it crashed into the Jinnah Garden area near Model Colony in Malir on Friday, minutes before its landing. Also read| Pakistan: Rs 30 million cash found from wreckage of crashed aircraft The investigation of the crashed Airbus A320 aircraft, of the national carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), will be done by an 11-member team of experts from an Airbus facility in the French city of Toulouse. The team arrived in Pakistan last week to conduct an independent probe into the crash involving its aircraft. The team includes experts from France, Germany, the UK and other countries. (1/2) ⚠️ Accident @Airbus #A320 AP-BLD @Official_PIA / the mission on site is about to be completed / @BEA_Aero @Airbus @SafranEngines @CFM_engines & Pakistan’s AAIB team will then fly to France.#PIA8303 pic.twitter.com/IMKOUC4xLH — BEA ✈️ 🚁🛩 🇫🇷 (@BEA_Aero) May 30, 2020 × The flight data recorder (FDR) records time, altitude, airspeed, heading, and aircraft attitude and other in-flight characteristics. The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) records the audio environment in the flight deck, and is useful in cases of accidents and incident investigation purposes. It records and stores the audio signals of the microphones and earphones of the pilots' headsets and of an area microphone installed in the cockpit, which helps the investigators figure out the cause and happenings of the crash. The BEA said that Pakistan's Aircraft Accident and Investigation Board (AAIB) team will fly to France after the work on the crash site is completed. "The mission on site is about to be completed. @BEA_Aero @Airbus @SafranEngines @CFM_engines & Pakistan's AAIB team will then fly to France," it said in the tweet. The investigation team, which reached Karachi on May 26, was to return after two days. However, as the team was unable to gather key evidence, the team extended their stay and conducted a forensic examination of the aircraft wreckage. They also collected different parts of the plane that would help in identifying the cause of the crash. The team also visited the radar centre at the Jinnah International Airport and the control tower to review the conditions, and collected parts of the crashed structure that can help them in investigating.

Pakistan: Investigators to start decoding black box of crashed craft from June 02 in France

Pakistan's search teams have recovered the cockpit voice recorder from the wreckage of a PIA airliner that crashed last week killing 97 onboard, as per airliner's spokesman.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/97-dead-2-survivors-from-pakistan-plane-crash-health-ministry-300501" hreflang="en">97 dead, 2 survivors from Pakistan plane crash: Health ministry</a>

"The search resumed this morning and the voice recorder was found buried in the debris," spokesman Abdullah H. Khan said in a statement. "The cockpit voice recorder recovery will help a lot in the investigation."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-airways-flight-crashes-in-residential-area-in-karachi-at-least-40-dead-300405" hreflang="en">Pakistan airways flight crashes in residential area in Karachi; at least 40 dead</a>

On Friday, Rescue crews have been able to retrieve the black box from the plane. The data recorder was retrieved from the crash site in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi on Saturday, according to PIA spokesman Abdullah Khan.

"97 bodies recovered. 2 passengers survived. 25 affected houses cleared, their residents accommodated at various places with the assistance of Civil Administration," said Major General Babar Iftikhar. Officials also stated that no houses were hit, and nobody on the ground lost their lives due to the crash.

Earlier, an audio conversation between the pilot and the air traffic control was also recovered, in which the pilot told the controllers about the engines failing.

"[The pilot] had been told both landing strips were available for his use but he preferred to use the go-around landing route, we are looking into the technical issue. Our prayers for the lives that have been lost", said PIA spokesman Abdullah Khan.

Pakistan's search teams have recovered the cockpit voice recorder from the wreckage of a PIA airliner that crashed last week killing 97 onboard, as per airliner's spokesman.

Pakistan's search teams have recovered the cockpit voice recorder from the wreckage of a PIA airliner that crashed last week killing 97 onboard, as per airliner's spokesman. Also read: 97 dead, 2 survivors from Pakistan plane crash: Health ministry "The search resumed this morning and the voice recorder was found buried in the debris," spokesman Abdullah H. Khan said in a statement. "The cockpit voice recorder recovery will help a lot in the investigation." Also read: Pakistan airways flight crashes in residential area in Karachi; at least 40 dead On Friday, Rescue crews have been able to retrieve the black box from the plane. The data recorder was retrieved from the crash site in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi on Saturday, according to PIA spokesman Abdullah Khan. "97 bodies recovered. 2 passengers survived. 25 affected houses cleared, their residents accommodated at various places with the assistance of Civil Administration," said Major General Babar Iftikhar. Officials also stated that no houses were hit, and nobody on the ground lost their lives due to the crash. Earlier, an audio conversation between the pilot and the air traffic control was also recovered, in which the pilot told the controllers about the engines failing. "[The pilot] had been told both landing strips were available for his use but he preferred to use the go-around landing route, we are looking into the technical issue. Our prayers for the lives that have been lost", said PIA spokesman Abdullah Khan.

Pakistan's search team retrieves cockpit voice recorder from wreckage of crashed airliner

Rescue crews have been able to retrieve the black box from the Pakistan International Airlines plane that crashed on Friday.

The&nbsp;data recorder&nbsp;was retrieved from the crash site in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi on Saturday, according to PIA spokesman Abdullah Khan.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/97-dead-2-survived-in-pakistan-plane-crash-official-says-300526">Also watch:&nbsp;97 dead, 2 survived in Pakistan plane crash, official says</a>

The crash claimed lives of&nbsp;at least 97 people, including crew members.

"97 bodies recovered. 2 passengers survived. 25 affected houses cleared, their residents accommodated at various places with the assistance of Civil Administration," said&nbsp;Major General Babar Iftikhar. Officials also stated that no houses were hit, and nobody on the ground lost their lives due to the crash.

Earlier, an audio conversation between the pilot and the air traffic control was also recovered, in which the pilot told the controllers about the engines failing.

"[The pilot] had been told both landing strips were available for his use but he preferred to use the go-around landing route, we are looking into the technical issue. Our prayers for the lives that have been lost," said&nbsp;PIA spokesman Abdullah Khan.

Rescue crews have been able to retrieve the black box from the Pakistan International Airlines plane that crashed on Friday. The data recorder was retrieved from the crash site in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi on Saturday, according to PIA spokesman Abdullah Khan.

Rescue crews have been able to retrieve the black box from the Pakistan International Airlines plane that crashed on Friday. The data recorder was retrieved from the crash site in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi on Saturday, according to PIA spokesman Abdullah Khan. Also watch: 97 dead, 2 survived in Pakistan plane crash, official says The crash claimed lives of at least 97 people, including crew members. "97 bodies recovered. 2 passengers survived. 25 affected houses cleared, their residents accommodated at various places with the assistance of Civil Administration," said Major General Babar Iftikhar. Officials also stated that no houses were hit, and nobody on the ground lost their lives due to the crash. Earlier, an audio conversation between the pilot and the air traffic control was also recovered, in which the pilot told the controllers about the engines failing. "[The pilot] had been told both landing strips were available for his use but he preferred to use the go-around landing route, we are looking into the technical issue. Our prayers for the lives that have been lost," said PIA spokesman Abdullah Khan.

Black box recovered from Pakistan airplane crash site

The <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/india-news/5-pakistanis-killed-in-retaliatory-fire-across-loc-in-last-few-days-indian-army-190995&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjn9vag4fTfAhWYZt4KHXqMByQQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw3Ep70_KxuhC-bsOK3ZS7Qo">Pakistan </a>International Airlines has banned in-flight entertainment for pilgrims travelling to Jeddah and Madina and will only play Quranic verses and naats for them, an official of the national carrier said Thursday.

The decision was taken "in light of the peoples' sentiments," PIA spokesman Mashhood Tajawar told PTI.

Cash-strapped PIA has been running into huge financial losses. Its current liabilities stand at Rs 431 billion.

For years, the <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/lose-weight-or-face-the-axe-pakistan-international-airline-tells-obese-cabin-crew-188548&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiAjre84fTfAhUWEnIKHSi6C-wQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw1w7uJwib6aXuR08RNRPb1s">airline</a> with 18,000 plus employee and a fleet of 32 aeroplanes have only been adding billions to its loss sheets.

"The decision to play Quranic verses and naats (recitation of poetry praising the Prophet) during taxing and landing for flights to Jeddah and Madina has been taken in light of the peoples' sentiments," Tajawar said.

No other music will be available in the in-flight entertainment system, he said, adding that the impression that the PIA has banned music on all routes is incorrect.

"This is only for Jeddah and Madina as the people go there on a holy journey. Therefore playing music/songs on these routes is not appropriate," Tajwar said, adding passengers of other flights will have access to the in-flight entertainment system available on the aircraft.

The PIA has also decided to welcome passengers on board with the Qaseeda Burda Sharif (Islamic hymn) playing in the background instead of soft music.

"A rendition of the Qaseeda Burda Sharif, a popular Islamic hymn, will be played while passengers board PIA aeroplanes for all domestic and international flights," Tajwar said.&nbsp;

The Pakistan International Airlines has banned in-flight entertainment for pilgrims travelling to Jeddah and Madina and will only play Quranic verses and naats for them, an official of the national carrier said Thursday.

The Pakistan International Airlines has banned in-flight entertainment for pilgrims travelling to Jeddah and Madina and will only play Quranic verses and naats for them, an official of the national carrier said Thursday. The decision was taken "in light of the peoples' sentiments," PIA spokesman Mashhood Tajawar told PTI. Cash-strapped PIA has been running into huge financial losses. Its current liabilities stand at Rs 431 billion. For years, the airline with 18,000 plus employee and a fleet of 32 aeroplanes have only been adding billions to its loss sheets. "The decision to play Quranic verses and naats (recitation of poetry praising the Prophet) during taxing and landing for flights to Jeddah and Madina has been taken in light of the peoples' sentiments," Tajawar said. No other music will be available in the in-flight entertainment system, he said, adding that the impression that the PIA has banned music on all routes is incorrect. "This is only for Jeddah and Madina as the people go there on a holy journey. Therefore playing music/songs on these routes is not appropriate," Tajwar said, adding passengers of other flights will have access to the in-flight entertainment system available on the aircraft. The PIA has also decided to welcome passengers on board with the Qaseeda Burda Sharif (Islamic hymn) playing in the background instead of soft music. "A rendition of the Qaseeda Burda Sharif, a popular Islamic hymn, will be played while passengers board PIA aeroplanes for all domestic and international flights," Tajwar said.

Pak national carrier PIA bans entertainment on flights to Saudi Arabia

Pakistan's flag carrier PIA has asked some of its cabin crew with "excess weight" to shed some kilos within six months or risk being grounded, in a bid to make them "slim, smart and fit", a media report said.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) also issued a suggested weight chart for differing heights and body types, The Express Tribune reported.

Those already "on weight check" need to report monthly to a "grooming cell" to receive clearance to fly, it said.

The carrier's general manager of flight services Aamir Bashir issued an order on the first day of 2019, saying official excess weight limits would be cut back by five pounds (2.26 kgs) a month, the report said.

In a memo distributed to approximately 1,800 cabin crew, PIA said they must trim down or face being grounded, the report said.

The airline said it is cracking down on what it terms the "excess weight" of some of its cabin crew.

Currently, flight attendants, who are 30 pounds (13.6 kgs) over are still eligible for flight duty, the report said.

According to the airline's weight chart, for a "medium frame" woman of 5 feet 7 inches height (1.7 meters), for example, the guide is 133 to 147 pounds (60 to 66 kgs).

"Weight check of all the cabin crew will be carried out at their base stations respectively and comprehensive data will be maintained for perusal of management," the news report quoted the memo as saying.

Around 100, over 5 per cent, of the crew would need to lose weight by July 1 to avoid grounding, Mashhood Tajwar, a PIA spokesman was quoted as saying in the report.

He described the crackdown on overweight flight crew as a "regular, routine matter," and suggested that the memo was issued as standards for weight had lapsed over time.

It was issued to ensure that the flight attendants were "slim, smart and fit", Tajwar said.

"No one would like to have shabby crew in the aircraft," he said, adding that PIA had received complaints about "obese" flight attendants.

Tajwar said the initiative was put in place for reasons of appearance and health, and insisted that PIA was not alone in insisting their cabin crews hit weight targets, the report added.

PIA has been in losses for years but successive governments have failed to improve its financial situation.

Its accumulated losses surged to Rs 36,000 crore by the end of June last year, which, according to the finance ministry, speaks volumes about the persistently deteriorating performance of the carrier.

Pakistan's flag carrier PIA has asked some of its cabin crew with "excess weight" to shed some kilos within six months or risk being grounded, in a bid to make them "slim, smart and fit", a media report said.

Pakistan's flag carrier PIA has asked some of its cabin crew with "excess weight" to shed some kilos within six months or risk being grounded, in a bid to make them "slim, smart and fit", a media report said. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) also issued a suggested weight chart for differing heights and body types, The Express Tribune reported. Those already "on weight check" need to report monthly to a "grooming cell" to receive clearance to fly, it said. The carrier's general manager of flight services Aamir Bashir issued an order on the first day of 2019, saying official excess weight limits would be cut back by five pounds (2.26 kgs) a month, the report said. In a memo distributed to approximately 1,800 cabin crew, PIA said they must trim down or face being grounded, the report said. The airline said it is cracking down on what it terms the "excess weight" of some of its cabin crew. Currently, flight attendants, who are 30 pounds (13.6 kgs) over are still eligible for flight duty, the report said. According to the airline's weight chart, for a "medium frame" woman of 5 feet 7 inches height (1.7 meters), for example, the guide is 133 to 147 pounds (60 to 66 kgs). "Weight check of all the cabin crew will be carried out at their base stations respectively and comprehensive data will be maintained for perusal of management," the news report quoted the memo as saying. Around 100, over 5 per cent, of the crew would need to lose weight by July 1 to avoid grounding, Mashhood Tajwar, a PIA spokesman was quoted as saying in the report. He described the crackdown on overweight flight crew as a "regular, routine matter," and suggested that the memo was issued as standards for weight had lapsed over time. It was issued to ensure that the flight attendants were "slim, smart and fit", Tajwar said. "No one would like to have shabby crew in the aircraft," he said, adding that PIA had received complaints about "obese" flight attendants. Tajwar said the initiative was put in place for reasons of appearance and health, and insisted that PIA was not alone in insisting their cabin crews hit weight targets, the report added. PIA has been in losses for years but successive governments have failed to improve its financial situation. Its accumulated losses surged to Rs 36,000 crore by the end of June last year, which, according to the finance ministry, speaks volumes about the persistently deteriorating performance of the carrier.

Lose weight or face the axe: Pakistan International Airlines tells 'obese' cabin crew

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-detains-member-of-british-house-of-lords-at-islamabad-airport-187159">Pakistan's national carrier</a> has terminated the contracts of over 50 employees, including seven pilots after they were found guilty of holding fake degrees. 
&nbsp; 
The directives were issued in view of the proceedings of Pakistan's Supreme Court against pilots and cabin crews with fake degrees and certificates.

"Action has been taken against the PIA employees after the respective educational institutions found their degrees bogus/fake," a statement issued by Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) spokesperson Mashood Tajwar said that a probe has been initiated into the cases of all staffers who were hired holding sham degrees.

The CAA said that degree verification of another 400 PIA employees is underway.&nbsp;

Director General of CAA Hassan Baig has also issued directives to suspend the licenses of all those pilots and cabin crews who have not yet submitted their degrees and certificates.

"Their licenses will remain suspended till they submit their referred documents for verification," Baig said.&nbsp;

The CAA had revealed before a Supreme Court bench this week that academic credentials of seven pilots of the PIA had been found to be bogus.

The bench was hearing a matter relating to the verification of degrees of pilots and other staff of the PIA.&nbsp;

The directives were issued in view of the proceedings of Pakistan's Supreme Court against pilots and cabin crews with fake degrees and certificates.

Pakistan's national carrier has terminated the contracts of over 50 employees, including seven pilots after they were found guilty of holding fake degrees. The directives were issued in view of the proceedings of Pakistan's Supreme Court against pilots and cabin crews with fake degrees and certificates. "Action has been taken against the PIA employees after the respective educational institutions found their degrees bogus/fake," a statement issued by Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) spokesperson Mashood Tajwar said that a probe has been initiated into the cases of all staffers who were hired holding sham degrees. The CAA said that degree verification of another 400 PIA employees is underway. Director General of CAA Hassan Baig has also issued directives to suspend the licenses of all those pilots and cabin crews who have not yet submitted their degrees and certificates. "Their licenses will remain suspended till they submit their referred documents for verification," Baig said. The CAA had revealed before a Supreme Court bench this week that academic credentials of seven pilots of the PIA had been found to be bogus. The bench was hearing a matter relating to the verification of degrees of pilots and other staff of the PIA.

Pakistan's national carrier sacks 50 employees for holding fake degrees

Pakistan is set to launch five new airlines in its aviation industry in the next one year as competition intensifies following an open skies policy which may lead to lower fares and pose challenges to the financially struggling Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).

Afeef Zara, Askari Air, Air Sial, Go Green and Liberty Air are the new airlines set to hit the market. Air traffic had hiked over 40% in the past five years, flying around 20 million passengers, media reports said.

These airlines aim to cover routes Gwadar, Panjgur, Khuzdar, Dalbandin, Parachinar, Muzaffarabad, Bannu, Turbat, Skardu and Chitral. From these routes places like Gwadar, Gilgit-Baltistan and Turbat provided lucrative profit opportunities due to work being carried under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) stated that Pakistan&rsquo;s aviation sector could touch 9% per annum which could continue till 2020 and that these numbers highlighted the open skies policy which could prove lucrative for Pakistan, said reports.&nbsp;

Muhammad Afsar Malik, former additional director of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said that Pakistan&rsquo;s domestic air traffic has grown 10%, which is six percentage points higher than the 4% expansion in international air traffic, media reports said.

Malik added airlines were reducing fares to attract customers due to increased competition in the sector, and it was a result of the open-skies policy otherwise ticket prices would have been Rs30,000 instead of Rs10,000.

But PIA&rsquo;s spokesman believed on the contrary and in an emailed response stated private and foreign airlines were focusing on price cuts instead of providing more customer satisfaction.

However, Shaheen Air spokesman said in an email &ldquo;about every player in the aviation chain including airports, airplane manufacturers, jet engine makers, travel agents and service companies turn in healthy profits. Yet, it is one of the enduring ironies that companies that actually move passengers from one place to another, which are a crucial link in the chain, struggle to achieve break even.&rdquo;

He further added that government should rethink the open skies policy as foreign carriers could enter Pakistan&rsquo;s market without any restriction.

Afeef Zara, Askari Air, Air Sial, Go Green and Liberty Air are the new airlines set to hit the market. Air traffic had hiked over 40% in the past five years, flying around 20 million passengers, media reports said

Pakistan is set to launch five new airlines in its aviation industry in the next one year as competition intensifies following an open skies policy which may lead to lower fares and pose challenges to the financially struggling Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). Afeef Zara, Askari Air, Air Sial, Go Green and Liberty Air are the new airlines set to hit the market. Air traffic had hiked over 40% in the past five years, flying around 20 million passengers, media reports said. These airlines aim to cover routes Gwadar, Panjgur, Khuzdar, Dalbandin, Parachinar, Muzaffarabad, Bannu, Turbat, Skardu and Chitral. From these routes places like Gwadar, Gilgit-Baltistan and Turbat provided lucrative profit opportunities due to work being carried under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The International Air Transport Association (IATA) stated that Pakistan’s aviation sector could touch 9% per annum which could continue till 2020 and that these numbers highlighted the open skies policy which could prove lucrative for Pakistan, said reports. Muhammad Afsar Malik, former additional director of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said that Pakistan’s domestic air traffic has grown 10%, which is six percentage points higher than the 4% expansion in international air traffic, media reports said. Malik added airlines were reducing fares to attract customers due to increased competition in the sector, and it was a result of the open-skies policy otherwise ticket prices would have been Rs30,000 instead of Rs10,000. But PIA’s spokesman believed on the contrary and in an emailed response stated private and foreign airlines were focusing on price cuts instead of providing more customer satisfaction. However, Shaheen Air spokesman said in an email “about every player in the aviation chain including airports, airplane manufacturers, jet engine makers, travel agents and service companies turn in healthy profits. Yet, it is one of the enduring ironies that companies that actually move passengers from one place to another, which are a crucial link in the chain, struggle to achieve break even.” He further added that government should rethink the open skies policy as foreign carriers could enter Pakistan’s market without any restriction.

Pakistan set to launch five new airlines, PIA in for a loss

A senior pilot of Pakistan&#39;s flag carrier PIA has been taken off duty for allegedly sleeping on a London-bound flight and risking the lives of over 300 passengers by handing over the aircraft to a trainee.

Captain Amir Akhtar Hashmi took a two-and-a-half- hour nap in the business class passenger cabin on April 26 soon after flight PK-785 took off from Islamabad for London, the <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/1331552">Dawn </a>reported.

A Dawn reporter tweeted the image of the pilot sleeping on the flight.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
FLIGHT or FRIGHT? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PIA?src=hash">#PIA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/pilot?src=hash">#pilot</a> Capt Amir Hashmi sleeps, leaving <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/aircraft?src=hash">#aircraft</a> in hands of a trainee by Dawn&#39;s Bhagwandas <a href="https://t.co/RsBItEhrGW">https://t.co/RsBItEhrGW</a> <a href="https://t.co/eO6y7iDPqh">pic.twitter.com/eO6y7iDPqh</a>
&mdash; Shazia Hasan (@HasanShazia) <a href="https://twitter.com/HasanShazia/status/861154469148577793">May 7, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The issue would have gone unnoticed, but one of the passengers saw the uniformed pilot sleeping. Upon learning about who he was, the passenger raised the matter with cabin crew and an air hostess registered his complaint.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) was initially reluctant to take action against Hashmi, a former president of the highly influential Pakistan Air Lines Pilots Association (PALPA), but later caved in to &quot;pressure from above&quot;.

PIA spokesman Danyal Gilani said Hashmi, who &quot;compromised air safety and put the lives of over 305 passengers on board at risk&quot;, has been taken off from flying duty pending an investigation.

During the journey, Hashmi asked Mohammad Asad Ali to control the flight, while regular first officer Ali Hassan Yazdani sat in the observer&#39;s seat in the cockpit.

Hashmi, an instructor, gets over Rs 100,000 each month to train pilots. He was supposed to train Yazdani during the flight, however, instead of performing his duty, Hashmi went for a quick lie-down, the report said.

Meanwhile, Hashmi told PTI that it was a normal practice that a pilot takes a nap during long-hour flights in the presence of co-pilots.

&quot;It is a wrong allegation that I took a two-and-a-half hour sleep during the flight. I did not sleep during the said flight,&quot; Hashmi clarified.

The flight was carrying over 305 passengers including 293 in the economy class and 12 in the club class.

The development has surfaced at a time when a top PIA official, facing serious allegations of corruption, left the country yesterday after he was given a special exemption by the Interior Ministry to fly abroad for a month even though his name is still on the country&#39;s no-fly list.

Bernd Hildenbrand, the suspended CEO of the national flag carrier is under investigation on charges of corruption amounting to billions of rupees. The Federal Investigation Agency is probing the corruption charges against him.&nbsp;

(PTI) 
&nbsp;

The pilot has been taken off duty for risking the lives of over 300 passengers by handing over the aircraft to a trainee

A senior pilot of Pakistan's flag carrier PIA has been taken off duty for allegedly sleeping on a London-bound flight and risking the lives of over 300 passengers by handing over the aircraft to a trainee. Captain Amir Akhtar Hashmi took a two-and-a-half- hour nap in the business class passenger cabin on April 26 soon after flight PK-785 took off from Islamabad for London, the Dawn reported. A Dawn reporter tweeted the image of the pilot sleeping on the flight. FLIGHT or FRIGHT? #PIA #pilot Capt Amir Hashmi sleeps, leaving #aircraft in hands of a trainee by Dawn's Bhagwandas https://t.co/RsBItEhrGW pic.twitter.com/eO6y7iDPqh — Shazia Hasan (@HasanShazia) May 7, 2017 × The issue would have gone unnoticed, but one of the passengers saw the uniformed pilot sleeping. Upon learning about who he was, the passenger raised the matter with cabin crew and an air hostess registered his complaint. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) was initially reluctant to take action against Hashmi, a former president of the highly influential Pakistan Air Lines Pilots Association (PALPA), but later caved in to "pressure from above". PIA spokesman Danyal Gilani said Hashmi, who "compromised air safety and put the lives of over 305 passengers on board at risk", has been taken off from flying duty pending an investigation. During the journey, Hashmi asked Mohammad Asad Ali to control the flight, while regular first officer Ali Hassan Yazdani sat in the observer's seat in the cockpit. Hashmi, an instructor, gets over Rs 100,000 each month to train pilots. He was supposed to train Yazdani during the flight, however, instead of performing his duty, Hashmi went for a quick lie-down, the report said. Meanwhile, Hashmi told PTI that it was a normal practice that a pilot takes a nap during long-hour flights in the presence of co-pilots. "It is a wrong allegation that I took a two-and-a-half hour sleep during the flight. I did not sleep during the said flight," Hashmi clarified. The flight was carrying over 305 passengers including 293 in the economy class and 12 in the club class. The development has surfaced at a time when a top PIA official, facing serious allegations of corruption, left the country yesterday after he was given a special exemption by the Interior Ministry to fly abroad for a month even though his name is still on the country's no-fly list. Bernd Hildenbrand, the suspended CEO of the national flag carrier is under investigation on charges of corruption amounting to billions of rupees. The Federal Investigation Agency is probing the corruption charges against him. (PTI)

Pakistani pilot who slept on London-bound flight taken off duty

Pakistan International Airlines admitted it had overloaded one of its flights to Saudi Arabia with seven additional passengers.

This comes a day after Dawn reported that the cash-strapped national carrier had asked seven passengers to stand in the aisle during the three-hour flight from Karachi, Pakistan, to Medina in Saudi Arabia on January 20.

The national carrier had initially dismissed the report as &quot;false&quot; but had promised to hold an internal probe.&nbsp;

After finding that the flight had 416 passengers instead of the stipulated 409, PIA told the media that it was in the wrong.

A pilot and two other crew members were being disciplined, airline spokesperson&nbsp;Danyal Gillani said.

&quot;Strict action would be taken against anyone found at fault. PIA is committed to ensure the safety of the passengers and cannot allow any incident to happen which compromises safety,&quot; he said.

PIA has been battling concerns about flight safety since a domestic flight crashed in the mountainous Chitral region in December, killing all 47 people on board.

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

&nbsp;

The airline's admission comes a day after a newspaper reported that seven passengers were asked to stand during a three-hour flight

Pakistan International Airlines admitted it had overloaded one of its flights to Saudi Arabia with seven additional passengers. This comes a day after Dawn reported that the cash-strapped national carrier had asked seven passengers to stand in the aisle during the three-hour flight from Karachi, Pakistan, to Medina in Saudi Arabia on January 20. The national carrier had initially dismissed the report as "false" but had promised to hold an internal probe. After finding that the flight had 416 passengers instead of the stipulated 409, PIA told the media that it was in the wrong. A pilot and two other crew members were being disciplined, airline spokesperson Danyal Gillani said. "Strict action would be taken against anyone found at fault. PIA is committed to ensure the safety of the passengers and cannot allow any incident to happen which compromises safety," he said. PIA has been battling concerns about flight safety since a domestic flight crashed in the mountainous Chitral region in December, killing all 47 people on board. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Pakistani airline admits putting extra passengers on international flight

Pakistan&#39;s national carrier will probe into allegations made by a news report that one of the international flights was carrying extra passengers.

A Dawn report had reported that a January 20 Pakistan International Airlines flight from Karachi to Saudi Arabia was carrying 416 passengers, instead of the stipulated 409.

The report further said seven people were asked to stand in the aisle during the three-hour journey.

But the cash-strapped national carrier has dismissed the claims as &quot;exaggerated and baseless&quot;.

&quot;It is not possible for anyone to travel like that in an aircraft, regardless of the duration of the flight,&quot; PIA spokesperson&nbsp;Danyal Gilani said.

But he said: &quot;The matter pertaining to the travel of more passengers than the booked load...is under investigation,&quot; and the airline had ordered a &quot;thorough probe into it, and all concerned are being questioned&quot;.

&quot;PIA is committed to ensure the safety of the passengers and cannot allow any incident to happen which compromises safety,&quot; he added.

It was the latest embarrassing incident for the airline, considered a global leader until the 1970s but plagued by controversies over recent years and saddled with billions of dollars of debt.

A PIA turboprop built by European manufacturer ATR plummeted into a mountain in a northern region on December 7, bursting into flames and killing all 47 people on board.

The airline was later mocked after its staff were photographed sacrificing a goat on a runway to ward off bad luck.

Domestic flights are often delayed for VIPs while flight employees have been caught smuggling goods ranging from iPhones to narcotics.

In 2013 one of its pilots was jailed for nine months in Britain for being drunk before he was due to fly from Leeds to Islamabad with 156 people on board.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

A Dawn report had said the cash-strapped national carrier made 7 passengers to stand in the aisle during a Karachi to Saudi Arabia trip

Pakistan's national carrier will probe into allegations made by a news report that one of the international flights was carrying extra passengers. A Dawn report had reported that a January 20 Pakistan International Airlines flight from Karachi to Saudi Arabia was carrying 416 passengers, instead of the stipulated 409. The report further said seven people were asked to stand in the aisle during the three-hour journey. But the cash-strapped national carrier has dismissed the claims as "exaggerated and baseless". "It is not possible for anyone to travel like that in an aircraft, regardless of the duration of the flight," PIA spokesperson Danyal Gilani said. But he said: "The matter pertaining to the travel of more passengers than the booked load...is under investigation," and the airline had ordered a "thorough probe into it, and all concerned are being questioned". "PIA is committed to ensure the safety of the passengers and cannot allow any incident to happen which compromises safety," he added. It was the latest embarrassing incident for the airline, considered a global leader until the 1970s but plagued by controversies over recent years and saddled with billions of dollars of debt. A PIA turboprop built by European manufacturer ATR plummeted into a mountain in a northern region on December 7, bursting into flames and killing all 47 people on board. The airline was later mocked after its staff were photographed sacrificing a goat on a runway to ward off bad luck. Domestic flights are often delayed for VIPs while flight employees have been caught smuggling goods ranging from iPhones to narcotics. In 2013 one of its pilots was jailed for nine months in Britain for being drunk before he was due to fly from Leeds to Islamabad with 156 people on board. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Pakistan International Airlines denies passenger overloading report

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) cancelled multiple flights after Civil Aviation Authority&rsquo;s (CAA) announced closing of airspace over the country&rsquo;s northern areas on Wednesday, according to multiple reports. 
 
&quot;As per directives of &nbsp;CAA (Civil Aviation Authority), the air space over Northern areas will remain closed on Wednesday.&nbsp;Inconvenience regretted,&quot; PIA spokesperson Danyal Gilani said on Twitter. 
 
Flights to northern areas including Gilgit and Skardu in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir were cancelled.&nbsp; 
 
The move to impose airspace restrictions comes amid escalating tensions with India, Indian news agency PTI said. However, Pakistan daily, the Dawn, pointed out that no reason was given for closure of airspace.&nbsp; 
 
India and Pakistan are at loggerheads with each-other following terror attack on Indian Army base in the Uri sector of Kashmir Valley where 18 soldiers were killed. Four militants involved in the terror strike were also shot dead during one of the worst such raids in over two decades in Kashmir. 
 
A showdown at United Nations General Assembly has also laid bare the tensions between the two nations with both the countries hurling allegations at each other over continuing unrest and human rights violations in Kashmir in India and Balochistan in Pakistan.&nbsp; 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)&nbsp;
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

Flights to northern areas, including Gilgit and Skardu, in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir were cancelled

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) cancelled multiple flights after Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) announced closing of airspace over the country’s northern areas on Wednesday, according to multiple reports. "As per directives of CAA (Civil Aviation Authority), the air space over Northern areas will remain closed on Wednesday. Inconvenience regretted," PIA spokesperson Danyal Gilani said on Twitter. Flights to northern areas including Gilgit and Skardu in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir were cancelled. The move to impose airspace restrictions comes amid escalating tensions with India, Indian news agency PTI said. However, Pakistan daily, the Dawn, pointed out that no reason was given for closure of airspace. India and Pakistan are at loggerheads with each-other following terror attack on Indian Army base in the Uri sector of Kashmir Valley where 18 soldiers were killed. Four militants involved in the terror strike were also shot dead during one of the worst such raids in over two decades in Kashmir. A showdown at United Nations General Assembly has also laid bare the tensions between the two nations with both the countries hurling allegations at each other over continuing unrest and human rights violations in Kashmir in India and Balochistan in Pakistan. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Pakistan imposes airspace curbs as tension escalates with India?

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