Volcanic ash reaches Asia; PIA faces losses

In the last five days 65 PIA flights have been cancelled due to the closure of airspace over Europe, incurring losses of $10 million. –File Photo

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s directive to accommodate students and people travelling for business puporses has been implemented by Managing Director PIA, Captain Muhammad Aijaz Haroon and such passengers would be given priority as flights resume to Europe and UK, reports DawnNews.

According to the PIA spokesperson, during the last five days 65 flights of PIA to Europe and UK have been cancelled. Few passengers have cancelled their flight itineraries.

Presently, PIA management and the airline’s operational Staff has formed a task force supervised by Managing Director, Captain Muhammad Aijaz Haroon. The task force has prepared a contingency plan ready to be put into operation; as soon as air space in UK and Europe is available for flight operations.

Presently the task force is concerned with passenger care and is ensuring proper updates for passengers, the next focus of the task force would be to bridge the revenue shortfall faced by the airline due to the closure of airspace over UK and Europe, the spokesperson added.

Meanwhile, Captain Saleem Ahmed, head of Central Control Flight Operations PIA is in constant contact with EU Air Traffic Controllers for obtaining timely updates about resumption of air traffic in Europe and UK.

The spokesman said that the loss of revenue to PIA was around US $10 million which is likely to rise to $25 million by the time PIA activates its flights to Europe and UK.

Nearly 16,000 passengers in Pakistan, Europe and UK are stranded, waiting for restoration of flights.

PIA has worked out a new route and operated flights directly to Toronto and across South of Atlantic and has successfully managed to operate four flights to Toronto from Pakistan.

400 Passengers are stranded in Europe and UK, largest are in Paris who have been accommodated in four different hotels.

In Paris, 70 senior citizens and 16 infants are being looked after by PIA. While six ill passengers have been provided medical care by PIA

Source: http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/14-volcanic-ash-reaches-asia-pia-faces-losses-zj-05