Bernd Hildenbrand, Pakistan International Airline’s CEO, has requested the government to restrict flights of Middle Eastern Airlines including Emirates, Etihad, Qatar, Gulf Air, Saudi Airline and Kuwait Airways in Pakistan in order to help PIA gain more market share, reported Reuters.
CEO said that the government of Pakistan has been requested to restrict the number of flights for these deep-pocketed Middle Eastern airlines into Pakistan so that it can help PIA manage its price-war with these airlines.
PIA’s CEO, while speaking with Reuters, said that national airline is losing Rs. 3.1 billion a month while the market share for Emirates, Etihad and Qatar has been on the rise.
“For us, it is very difficult to compete with the Emirates,” Hildenbrand said while adding that Middle Eastern-carriers offered better and cheaper services, whereas PIA is struggling to modernize its 35-plane fleet due to a lack of funds.
PIA therefore needs help from the government, including possibly putting “some limitations on the open-sky policy”, he said.
Mr. Hildenbrand explained that even European countries don’t open up their sky for unlimited flights. “This is something that Canada has already done”, he said.
“I am not against competition, but unlimited competition is not possible”, he was quoted as saying.
now PIA cant provide services like them and also they are proving to be a big threat to expensive prices of PIA. SO LETS PLAY SO DIRTY GAMES ARE RESTRICT THEIR SERVICES… WELL PLAYED PIA
“Hildenbrand said while adding that Middle Eastern-carriers offered better and cheaper services, whereas PIA is struggling to modernize its 35-plane fleet due to a lack of funds.”
When you can’t beat ’em, cheat ’em while continuing to suck at your own jobs – PIA, Great People to Fly With.
Highlights of quality of PIA service, personal experience I can recall from most recent journeys , one in economy and one in business class:
1- Pilot kept on announcing flight is bound for Karachi while it was direct flight to Islamabad in fact.
2- Air spray right on your face (if they feel someone has farted)
3- Holding a tissue box so you can pick one.
4- Plastic cups were reused, I saw them doing it.
5- Their male Stewart will stare any lady passenger shamelessly.
6- Their business class is worst than economy of other GCC airlines.
7- If compared with return ticket of India-GCC countries Indian airlines are charging almost half the price.
6- PIA and Airblue hardly follow their schedule specially on international routes, how are they even charging the same fair which other good quality service airline are offering.
After reading the title I thought next will be PTCL asking Govt to restrict all 3g 4g services in Pakistan etc. Not a good way to improve services.
Well it sounds a thoughtful request from CEO of PIA but there should be some competition there too. PIA is already giving jackass services to customers. Govt also can think of putting putting someone credible and honest (lol ya like they know one) person on PIA to put it on track.
So that they can have monopoly? You can get people to use pia instead if you provide better service or atleast good service for the price.
Actually they are not jealous from middle east airline while they are jealous from Pakistani third class airlines but this thing they can’t openly say, these third class airlines sold ticket at lowest rates than pia and middle class peoples likes to travel on that airlines rather than pia.
Definitely, they cannot compete with these air lines in aspect of level of services and quality. This is just like, “need to stop mobile snatching, restrict double-sawaari”. Simply awful!
Instead of doing this cheap thing, They should improve management and quality of service at every level. They are creating monopoly. They should be Competition
At last, a foreigner is teaching nationalism. Pakistanis will always prefer direct flights over connected. Its a nightmare to switch plane and undergo security check again.
Those who’ve lost dignity just criticise PIA, it can improve, nothing is impossible. For them, I would say, Middle eastern Airlines were built by the help of Pakistani staff. Pakistani still train Airforce of many Arabian countries, why can’t we succeed in running a commercial fleet?
You must be paid from PIA to comment like this
If we are not in favour of PIA so we lost our dignity.. rediculous
No
PIA planes are like 2D Bus in khi, The CEO of the PIA should resign. Such a stupid guy he is. PIA should privitized asap
Privitize hony lagi thi, tab awaam road per thi, tu govt nai ker payi,
ye awaam kuch acha b nai kerny deti GOVT ko,
Bloody bulshit!
Tell PIA to come to their level or they can have their popcorns popped in a small kettle.
Stupid Worms!
PIA why dont you improve your service quality to gain market share.. Nothing in your airline works. the Cabin crew was hostile as a pack of Hungary Loins ready to tear apart any one requesting any thing. you have no Flight plan. you guys kept me up for 24 hours for a flight that would have taken 6 hours to reach my destination.
Mar nhi jaye ga nawaz sharif wo bhi pharak kay ya kr diya to….
PIA CEO should resigned after making this kind of ridiculous demand, they can’t even handle domestic sectors properly and they are thinking to take all the international traffic. He is out of his mind and that’s why PIA is in more danger because of him
I have seen multiple times people misusing PIA aircrafts. To the extent once a passenger even took out the life jacket from under the seat. can anyone do tht on the middle eastern carriers. we have all together ruined our country and our airline.
And for information of all who know nothing but love to comment. Every country in the world safeguards the interests of its national carrier includi g big names as Lufthansa so then why not for PIA. yes there shud b competition but dont give the others undue favors. civil aviation has given prime times for landing to other airlines while pia is given last priority.
we as a nation think we’re specialists of all fields.
What A Stupid Logic!
Hildenbrand,
Have you even figured out what are the problems with PIA and what are the factors that contribute to the losses that amount to billions?
Your statement screams out NO.
Let me make this easy for you, restricting the Middle Eastern carriers won’t solve your problem because it’s not the Middle Eastern carriers that pose a problem, its PIAs poor quality of service. If anything the Middle Eastern carriers are actually providing you with a blueprint of what PIA can actually do to get to the top.
I’ll tell you what, first, go clear your name off the aircraft leasing scam then go do some real research and some homework too instead of crying like a little girl.
All these problems that you are crying about are factors that you should have been aware of before accepting this job..
hahhahahahahhahah aa jao Noon League waloon aaoo ab is faisaly ko defend keroooo , behsermo begairto
Good that the news is public, however PIA doesn’t have capacity to meet the demands of Mid East clientele…
What will be next? AirBlue and Shaheen?
Then stopping the PIA services is the solution, shutdown for good. No more complains from PIA and the public, no more lives in danger and better services than PIA.
What’s next:
Ban train and bus transport between cities.