There is a brand new management at Pakistan International Airlines and the team has come with the promise of a better times for the national air carrier. The claim is a familiar one for many of us who have followed the turbulent journey of PIA over the past decade.
So, what makes this time different?
An optimistic ‘glocal’ business plan to turn around the company in 18 months. The plan called V1 (after the V1 Velocity that an aircraft achieves on the runway before committing to flight) has already shown results seen as sales rose by 29% since the month of October 2017.
Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Musharaff Rasool Cyan hopes that, “PIA will dominate the skies again! My confidence comes not from things we promise but things we have already delivered and are every day accomplishing to bring a positive change.”
With 67% and growing market share in the domestic market, Pakistan International Airlines, is already the national market leader, carrying millions of passengers over a largest domestic network, covering all parts of the country.
Now the airline hopes to spread its wings all over the world.
The global context of the airline industry in which the airline companies find themselves operating is evolving rapidly and has moved away from airlines being merely transport to a lifestyle. After all, travel is a life style.
To become globally relevant,PIA is changing its business practices and has set clear set of targets till 2022:
- Increase the fleet from 36 to 43;
- Increase the revenue by almost 100%;
- move from an operating loss to an operating profit of 6 Billion;
- and increase direct networking points from 50 to 57 and virtual network to over 100.
PIA also has set itself a new vision, a truly global profitable airline while being the pride of Pakistan, with customer centricity and excellence in everything as the guiding principles.