KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Air Marshal Arshad Malik, in view of the problems being faced by Pakistani passengers due to the global lockdown, has directed the concerned section of the national flag carrier to revise the fares as they should only be geared towards meeting operational costs of flights.
The PIA spokesperson said that the commercial department has been particularly instructed that those allegedly responsible, especially travel agents/partners, for overcharging the passengers and bringing bad name to the airline must be reprimanded with severest penalties set forth by regulations.
PIA officers and staffers were also advised to go an extra-mile in facilitating passengers stuck due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Meanwhile, during a meeting between Minister for Aviation, Ghulam Sarwar Khan and PIA CEO Air Marshal Malik, the performance of the national flag carrier under its ongoing relief operation was extensively discussed.
The minister was informed that under the exercise, PIA was not only bringing back Pakistanis stranded abroad but it was also helping expatriates as well as foreign citizens get back to their countries.
The PIA chief apprised him in detail about the arrangements made for passengers of these flights with regard to adherence of safety protocols and other critical aspects.
It was highlighted during the meeting that as most of the flights are ferry flights or are flown with limited number of passengers due to ceiling put forth by the government, thus to make such flights economically viable, slightly higher fares were being charged.
However, based on feedback of the passengers, the PIA chief assured the minister that he would look into the assertion of overcharging based on high operating costs associated with these flights.
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