Some Options

Discuss issues and news related to PIA, Pakistani airlines and Pakistan's civil & military aviation.
Amaad Lone
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Some Options

Post by Amaad Lone »

PIA is going through a financial tailspin, and I am sure the managers of the airline have some sort of a plan to survive.

Here are a few of my inputs.

Refurbish (including section 41 work) the 747 fleet to allow usage till 2010.

The fuel prices have slumped to below $60 a barrell, from a peak of $75, making the operations of these classic jumbos a bit more economical.

Plus these aircraft are paid off, and not worth much as a sale, but if in operation can bring in valuable revenue from the heavy Saudi Arabian and domestic routes.

With the exception of AP-BGG, the 747 fleet should be withdrawn from the UK routes, which can be replaced by the newer 390 seater 777-340ERs. Selling or scrapping the 747-300 fleet will withdraw valuable capacity from the fleet, which can only be replaced by expensive leased jets.

PIA has to reduce its fuel bill, but still try not to reduce flight operations.

The first step in this direction would be to bring the return sector of New York-Pakistan non-stop. The ban is only on flights landing in the US, not departing from the US.

The return trip from New York is low on cargo compared to the flight going into New York, which will allow it to carry some extra fuel. Plus the return journey is also shorter due to good tail winds.

Plus its not like the load factor is a 100% all year round, so it would not be difficult to carry the extra fuel for the 12.5 hour non-stop flight into Pakistan. Might be a good idea to remove some seats from the aircraft to give the passengers some more leg room for the long flights, also reducing the weight in the process. Which other airline is putting in 329 passengers on a 777-200??

PIA should also ask Boeing to upgrade the three 777-240ERs to the maximum allowed MTOW, as currently there are some restrictions.

Other suggestions come to my mind, but then a very long message becomes boring.
P.I.A

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Lufthansa Cargo
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Post by Lufthansa Cargo »

Asallaam alaikum,

This idea has been around for quite some time about the jfk to Pakistan non-stop and yes would save PIA alot of money. But why does PIA continue to stop on the return sector at MAN? Is the fuel cheaper there? Maybe the airline rates in and out of MAN are round trip? I know that its not the load because us New Yorkers most of the time dominate the cabin when going to Pakistan.

You know what I think it comes down too? The crew. The crew has to return to MAN to fly the next outbound to JFK. Is flying 15-20 crew members on another airliner back to MAN more expensive? So they work also on their way back to MAN. Maybe its something in their contracts? Who knows? But it seems to me that untill we do not get the permission to fly PAK-USA non-stop that the return will remain the same.

Rgrds,
Salem Aziz

GF: A340, B767 AA: AB6 KU: B772 ER, AB6, A320 LH: B744, A343 EK: A345, B772, A332 PK: B74M, B743, B772 MH: A330 E4: DC9 QR: B77W, A332. PA: A320
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Lufthansa Cargo
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Post by Lufthansa Cargo »

BTW when does PIA plan to retire the Jumbos? And I assume that the new 777s we have and still are recieving are the replacements? Any idea on how PIA will deal with the load problems when they retire the 747 fleet? What is it 8 that they have now? For some strange reason I think that they will be needing more planes to replace the jumbo fleet or maybe thats just me.
Salem Aziz

GF: A340, B767 AA: AB6 KU: B772 ER, AB6, A320 LH: B744, A343 EK: A345, B772, A332 PK: B74M, B743, B772 MH: A330 E4: DC9 QR: B77W, A332. PA: A320
FMC
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Post by FMC »

PIA always terms the acquisition of newer planes as replacement. BECAUSE they traded off their excellent DC-10s for B-747s they could not opt for the A300-600s instead of A310s. Intelligent corporate planning eh!
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Lufthansa Cargo
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Post by Lufthansa Cargo »

man they are still reeling from that trade even though the those 74s are gone.
Salem Aziz

GF: A340, B767 AA: AB6 KU: B772 ER, AB6, A320 LH: B744, A343 EK: A345, B772, A332 PK: B74M, B743, B772 MH: A330 E4: DC9 QR: B77W, A332. PA: A320
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Post by FMC »

They should reel further since the PAC has opened the shut case of the A300 B4s plunder.
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Lufthansa Cargo
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Post by Lufthansa Cargo »

The whole airline needs to be investigated.

They are the most expensive way to Pakistan. They have the most oldest planes in their fleet. And routes, there really aren't any new ones. connections are another thing that they need to work on.

What are they doing with the money??
Salem Aziz

GF: A340, B767 AA: AB6 KU: B772 ER, AB6, A320 LH: B744, A343 EK: A345, B772, A332 PK: B74M, B743, B772 MH: A330 E4: DC9 QR: B77W, A332. PA: A320
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Post by Moin »

PIA would need more 773ER's if it plans to replace the 747's with them unless they plan to induct smaller a/c as was done by some other airlines which operated 747's like Aer Lingus (A333/A332), Olympic (A343), Iberia (A346), Continental (772ER), Air Canada (A345/A343/777), Egypt Air (772ER) and Alitalia (772ER).
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Post by ConnieMan »

Moin wrote:PIA would need more 773ER's if it plans to replace the 747's with them unless they plan to induct smaller a/c as was done by some other airlines which operated 747's like Aer Lingus (A333/A332), Olympic (A343), Iberia (A346), Continental (772ER), Air Canada (A345/A343/777), Egypt Air (772ER) and Alitalia (772ER).
Moin just a quick note on Air Canada's A345 and A343's in regards to B777, i have heard by many in planning and operations department, that once B777s start delivering all A340's will be going out of the fleet, Air Canada had worst of problems with new A345 then older A343's!....I am glad after slightly over 10 years of hagling Airbuses they finally went back to Boeing and scrapping buying more Airbuses. AC will be keeping B762 and B763s for long time to come.
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Post by Cobra »

Lufthansa Cargo wrote:The whole airline needs to be investigated.

They are the most expensive way to Pakistan. They have the most oldest planes in their fleet. And routes, there really aren't any new ones. connections are another thing that they need to work on.

What are they doing with the money??
The age of a plane doesn't really matter does it? It is the will to deliver that counts. Even if PIA acquires the latest equipment, their maintenance practises will reduce them to a piece of junk in no time. Every pakistani knows where PIA money goes...
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Lufthansa Cargo
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Post by Lufthansa Cargo »

Cobra that is very true.
Salem Aziz

GF: A340, B767 AA: AB6 KU: B772 ER, AB6, A320 LH: B744, A343 EK: A345, B772, A332 PK: B74M, B743, B772 MH: A330 E4: DC9 QR: B77W, A332. PA: A320