Pakistan International Arlines (PIA) : News / Updates
- Thread starter ghazi52
- Start date
FuturePAF
THINK TANK: CONSULTANT
If PIA regains access to the US market, have they done any analysis as to how they would win back the trust of passengers, that could just as easily go on a GCC carrier to and from the US?
Maea
Registered Member
Idk about others, but the being "look down" treatment that desis get with any GCC carrier/airport is more then enough for me to choose PIA over gulf carriers.
The price was same, airplane may not be of the latest model, but the fact that in about 8 hours flight time one was in Pakistan from Milan Malpensa were some of the factors that every single PIA flight from here was always full.
I sure if they start again people will come back.
FuturePAF
THINK TANK: CONSULTANT
Indeed, there is a dignity of flying with no middle country personnel looking down upon you. If prices are competitive it’d likely they could win customers that don’t want to waste time in a long layover in a GCC country.
From wheels up at JFK to wheels down in Lahore, when I last traveled on PIA, it was exactly 12 hours. I used a stopwatch.
The connecting flight though was 23 hours later to Multan. So, that was where I drew the line about flying PIA again.
If Flights are going full, they should at least have connecting flights within 2-3 hours of arrival (heck a connecting flight on a smaller PIA jet plane such as an A321 could stop at Multan on the way to a final at Karachi or another city). Furthermore, upon flying back to the states, if the flight has to land in the UK for immigration control, then how is it different from a GCC carrier. In fact it would probably get more scrutiny, as I saw from people going to the states having to get checked over in Manchester. That return was less pleasant than a GCC carrier, so something I hope PIA works on.
Last edited:
Watandar
Trusted Member
If PIA were safe and reliable, so many Pakistanis would fly them internationally without a second thought. The incompetence of PIA is simply staggering, just look at the amount of air traffic to Pakistan and PIA's inability to capture market share.
The layover in UK is unpleasant though. I remember in 2000s flying PIA and amazingly, they made us go through security scanning upon disembarking AND getting back on the plane after couple hour layover. Felt like a criminal.
I personally think PIA should not fly to the US, but instead arrange a code share with foreign airline where they fly somewhere like Europe or Turkey and then PIA picks them up and flies then to Pakistan, both ways.
PIA does fly direct to Canada and should increase the frequency of those flights to more than the current two days a week. How can two days a week possibly compete with Turkish or GCC who fly daily ?
Maea
Registered Member
The money which was supposed to be used to buy new planes upgrade services etc etc were siphoned off or used to pay political hirees.
Even today PIA has the potential to make a comeback, as you said.
Fatman17
Moderator
No cash. Still paying off the 777s
PK781
Trusted Member
PIA is flying 5 x Per Week to Toronto nowadays:
1 to/from ISB
2 to/from Karachi
2 to/from Lahore
It is 12 hours to Pakistan directly and about 14 hrs coming back (due to wind).
This should be increased to 7 days (daily flight) once all B777s are actived
But I agree, they should codeshare for USA flights in Europe and increase their frequency and destinations in Europe. Right now its only Paris/France.
They seriously need to bring back all the B777's into service (from storage since the EU ban or covid-era).
Although I find Saudia to be a better option than Etihad/Emirates/Qatar/Turkish but it is still a long journey with a layover.....middle-east hassle still exists for security and layover
PK781
Trusted Member
They've managed to get A320's for short haul and domestic flights which is better than the old A310s and the old B737s
However, the B777 fleet is old and needs upgrading. Maybe after privatization? (if that even happens). Process is very slow in Pakistan as usual
