The Senate’s standing committee on aviation on Wednesday, committee met with Senator Mushahidullah Khan in the chair on Wednesday. It was suggested that to expedite the process, it the matter should be submitted to the prime minister and the federal cabinet so that an effective probe body can be formulated on the issue.
Later, PIA officials shared details about the national flag carrier’s Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS) and its projected financial implications.
They said PIA’s total strength was around 14,500 [including outsourced staff] while it currently has a fleet of 29 aircraft, which cost Rs2.06 billion per month.
When compared with other airlines, the officials said the PIA has a ratio of 500 employees per aircraft, while Qatar had 133, Emirates 231, Turkish 94, and Etihad 211. Qatar Airways is operating with 240 aircraft and a total staff 32,000 employees,
Emirates operates 269 airplanes with 62,356 employees, Turkish Airlines has 329 aircraft and a workforce of 31,000 people. Etihad Airways has 102 airplanes.
In the PIA, the officials said, the eligibility for early retirement was 20 years of service along with all applicable benefits.
