Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been hit with a major crisis as 30 pilots have resigned from the company.
The resignations come after PIA announced a 35% cut in salaries, prompting outrage among the pilots and their representative organization, the Pakistan Airline Pilots Association (PALPA).
PALPA has been vocal in its opposition to the salary cuts, stating that pilots have not received a pay increase in seven years.
Furthermore, PALPA revealed that private airlines are paying Rs. 9 lacs to the first officers and Rs. 16 to 18 lacs to the captain, which the organization argues is not enough to sustain a decent living.
PALPA also pointed out that the salaries of PIA’s most senior captains are close to Rs. 7 lacs.
As a result, more pilots are ready to quit, putting further pressure on the already beleaguered airline.
Interestingly, these are the same pilots whose names were on the list of 262 fake licenses, PALPA added. PALPA revealed that these pilots have been offered jobs by the world’s top-class airlines, which are willing to pay them much higher salaries.
According to PALPA, most of the PIA pilots are now going to foreign airlines in search of better salaries, leaving PIA with a severe shortage of experienced pilots.