PIA discontinues reconfirmation of seat

[Abbas Ali]

To Facilitate our valued customers, PIA has discontinued the mandatory requirement of "Reconfirmation of Seat" w.e.f 15th July, 2006.

Please ensure that you provide all your contact numbers including mobile phone at the time of booking so that PIA contact centre may call you for information or assistance.

If you do not wish to travel on the booked flight, please call (UAN 111786786) for assistance or visit your nearest booking office to avoid no-show charges.

Source: PIA

[Adnan Anwar]

Finally some wiseman in PIA finally used his brain.

[CPH-PAKiz]

HAHA Adnan .. yeah you right...
a step in the right direction for pia

[PK777]

Thats good news, finally they realised! I always had to go to the PIA Head Office to re-confirm my seat back for the return trip. On one occasion, they informed me my seat had been cancelled as i did not reconfirm, luckly it was not peak time they reconfirmed me straight away - apparently there was a policy that I had to let PIA know withing 72 hours before the flight and if one didnt they would remove one's name from the flight.

[SalamPaks]

Excuse my language, but I am extremely passionate about this issue, so all I have to say is, "About F'ing time PIA!"

[SaadSaeed]

It was an inconvenient practice to begin with. Glad they changed it after all these years now that im getting ready to settle in pakistan...

[Abbas Ali]

PIA abolishes reconfirmation of seat condition

BY HAMID ALI

LAHORE: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has abolished the condition of reconfirmation of seats before 72 hours of the flight time on all international and domestic routes, introducing a new standby fare policy that offers 25 to 50 percent discount for the passengers on chance. The sources told ‘The News’ that the decision to revise the policy of reconfirming the confirmed seats was taken owing to serious problems the passengers have been facing in Pakistan and abroad. It may be mentioned that PIA was the only airline in the world, which requires reconfirmation of the confirmed seats.

According to the new policy, PIA will contact the passengers at their given phone numbers three days before the flight time to confirm either he or she is traveling as per schedule. However, a passenger will have to contact the concerned PIA staff for the cancellation of seat 36 hours before the flight time. The passengers will have to pay $ 100 fine on international routes if they failed to fly despite giving their confirmation to the PIA staff on phone.

The amount of fine for not flying is $ 50 for the passengers traveling to United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other Gulf states, told a PIA official.

PIA’s standby fare policy has received tremendous response from the passengers traveling within the country. For the last two weeks, a number of passengers are reaching the domestic lounges to get seats on chance. In many cases, people preferred not to confirm their seats to take advantage of huge discounts. The number of passengers on chance has increased manifolds since the policy was introduced, told a PIA officer at Passengers’ Facility Counter. On domestic routes, PIA is offering 50 percent discount to the passengers on chance and 25 percent discount on all international routes except Saudi Arabia. “We are here in queue because the discount rate is too high”, remarked Bilal Ahmed, a passenger who was waiting for travel to Karachi at Lahore Airport.

Besides inconvenience to the passengers, rising competition between PIA and other airlines was another major reason behind the shift in the reconfirmation policy, the sources said. For international passengers especially the foreigners, the policy of reconfirming the confirmed seats was causing serious troubles as many of them were not aware of the logic behind.

The exchange of hot words between the passengers and PIA staff at check-in counters had become a routine. PIA used to cancel the seats if a passenger had not reconfirmed his/her seat 72 hours before the flight time. Such passengers had to travel on chance after waiting around two hours in front of the check-in counters. The passengers who were frequent travelers were unable to understand how their confirmed seats could be cancelled. In many cases, the passengers used to blame the travel agents for the cancellation of their seats. A PIA official, when contacted, said the policy of reconfirming seats was done with to facilitate the passengers. The policy has been abolished on international and domestic routes, he informed, saying people have welcomed the decision. We are getting terrific response for our standby fare policy, he added, the standby fare policy has been fruitful for PIA as all of its flights were going full. Regarding extra ordinary rush of passengers on chance, he said that it was mostly on flights for Karachi.

Source: The News

[SaadSaeed]

"A PIA official, when contacted, said the policy of reconfirming seats was done with to facilitate the passengers." How the heck was that facilitating ANYONE except causing unnecessary grief? And at "confirmation of a confirmed seat." Alas they changed it. Now get rid of that stupid ban on taking photographs and carrying batteries.

[Moin]

QR still requires reconfirmation 72 hours prior to flying. My sister almost didn't make her flight to LHR from KHI because I forgot to call up QR and reconfirm the seat for her. Luckily they managed to get her a seat albeit at the last minute.

On my ticket however, there is no PNR # so I'll probably just have to give my surname when I call up QR to reconfirm.

[smarties]

Gr8 news!! I always hated going to that saddar booking office where there was complete pandemonium!