Pakistan International Airlines

[User0001]

Maybe this is the time to start pushing harder for a Dubai connection

This will not happen with Emirates for a long time. They tend not to serve markets so close together (only the gulf routes and LHR/LGW are close together), and with 3 flights to fill over the hill, and now an extra 150 seats up at NCL (Which is already their lowest load/yield route), I just cannot see LBA coming online within the next 5 years at least.

 

[LUFC Jonno]

If PIA were to be banned from EU airspace, it would hurt LBA but seriously hurt the larger UK airports like Birmingham, Manchester and Heathrow as they mainly use the B777's on those routes. If I'm not mistaken they also refuel at MAN for its onward flight to JFK. Going back to Leeds, who could step in and take over the route, and what are the chances of Qatar doing flights from Leeds?

 

[User0001]

it would hurt LBA but seriously hurt the larger UK airports like Birmingham, Manchester and Heathrow as they mainly use the B777's on those routes

It would hurt the UK in general a lot. I believe MAN will be the last UK-ISB route if PIA were banned, as they will still be served by Air Blue via Istanbul.

and what are the chances of Qatar doing flights from Leeds

Id say 1%.
Qatar recently cut LGW, and have downgraded MAN to 10 weekly for the summer due to aircraft issues.
That aside, due to MAN being served, I would expect a route to BHX, EDI or GLA, DUB and BRS before LBA is even considered in the UK/Ireland.

 

[Jordan-34092]

This is when you need the likes of fly Dubai operating larger aircraft to provide services,IE 767-400ER, to airports like LBA with connections with emirates in Dubai and fly Dubai's own network.

 

[User0001]

This is when you need the likes of fly Dubai operating larger aircraft to provide services,IE 767-400ER, to airports like LBA with connections with emirates in Dubai and fly Dubai's own network.

But, if that were going to happen, why wouldn't emirates just serve LBA in their own right?

 

[tleeds]

This is when you need the likes of fly Dubai operating larger aircraft to provide services,IE 767-400ER, to airports like LBA with connections with emirates in Dubai and fly Dubai's own network.

But, if that were going to happen, why wouldn't emirates just serve LBA in their own right?

Different business models...

FlyDubai would provide it on a 'low-cost' and 'low-frills' basis, where as Emirates would probably charge full whack for all the passengers who will be passing through Dubai for the on-ward connections, making the latter option a non-starter.

I think what Concorde Lover was also trying to say, is that a different airline to Emirates should give them a bit of competition over this side of the hill as well...

 

[User0001]

[hi-lighty:21896t1q]Probably worth continuing the discussion in the potential routes thread to avoid going off topic on PIA. Thanks[/hi-lighty:21896t1q]

 

[Jordan-34092]

CAA gets maintenance warning from EU

LAHORE – The European Union (EU) has decertified the maintenance certification of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and issued a notice to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to improve its maintenance standards within a couple of months; otherwise, the airline would have to stop operations in the EU countries, sources in the airlines said on Saturday.


It is worth mentioning that the standard of the PIA engineering and maintenance was equal to that of any European country after obtaining the certification from the EU-sponsored European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in 2004. Within the first year of the EASA’s approval, the national flag carrier started repairing foreign aircraft and earned $5 million, as it became a continuous source of income.


A senior aviation expert said the move could be complete or partial, since the last EU ban on the PIA flights was partial; however, certain aircraft were cleared by the EU inspectors after check to fly to the European countries.


In 2007, some PIA planes, including A-310 and B-747, were banned for the EU destinations.


According to the senior PIA officers, the incompetence and mistakes of the Deputy Managing Director (DMD) Saleem Siyani, hired by former managing director Capt Ijaz Haroon against a very lucrative salary of more than $20,000, were responsible for the humiliating situation faced by the PIA.


They said the DMD was hired only because of his skill so as to ensure proper maintenance of the PIA fleet, but the exercise had proved futile.


The former PIA MD and the defence minister had claimed that the PIA’s maintenance would improve after the induction of Siyani, but interestingly, the EU was going to ban PIA flights for EU members countries for the second time after his appointment.

The PIA management had been warned to ensure better maintenance of aircraft, but it failed to rectify its mistakes, resulting in suspension of the EASA’ certification.

Sources in PIA said the reason behind the current mess was poor supply mechanism for spare parts, as the protocol set by the aircraft manufacturers was not being followed.
When contacted, a PIA spokesman Tahir Khalique rejected the reports of decertification, saying the airline had not received any letter on the subject, as only a verbal warning was issued to the CAA.


The EU warning was motivated the PIA’s plan to purchase B-777 from the Boeing Company, while the EU-based Airbus wanted to pressurise the airline through EU to consider its aircraft as well, he added.


He said negotiations were also underway to purchase five Airbuses, which would end the pressure game automatically, he concluded.

Source


Also can't believe how low Airbus would go to try and get the EU to pressure PIA to buy their aircraft.

Also i know it isn't the best newspaper to go by but still.

 

[whoshotjimmi]

Also can't believe how low Airbus would go to try and get the EU to pressure PIA to buy their aircraft.

Also i know it isn't the best newspaper to go by but still.

Wouldn't surprise me. They are a large corporation that lacks morals. Attacking Boeing for receiving $7bn in government aid when they themselves have received over $30bn from the EU. The A380 project has been a disaster financially so far for them and with the numerous issues facing the fleet, it is crucial for Airbus to find other revenue streams. A French led bid to stop them operating into the EU to force their hand into buying from a French led company. I wonder what would happen if they bought some more 777's? Would they be banned also? It just feels like a very coordinated effort to put PIA under pressure and the motives do not appear to be as transparent as they claim.

With regards Islamabad, as I have stated before, if PIA goes, so does the route. For good.

 

[Aviador]

If PIA manage to sort out it's issues with Europe, when the clocks go forward in a few weeks time the airbus will arrive at around 15:00. Not the greatest timings for such a difficult flight to turn around with it's unruly passengers and unreliable aircraft.

 

[michael]

lol, if it gets any earlier it'll be arriving before it sets off!! :crazy:

 

[Jordan-34092]

Well just been told by a servisair friend that PIA last flight could be this or next week due to them having their licence taken away.

[ Post made via Android ]

 

[lbaspotter]

Well just been told by a servisair friend that PIA last flight could be this or next week due to them having their licence taken away.

[ Post made via Android ]

As has been stated several times now PIA will continue to operate there European flights for now as have not been banned yet from operating into European Airspace. Yes they have had there (EASA) approval (part 145) certificate suspended with immediate effect, but they have been allowed a 2-month period in which they may appeal against the decision and continue to operate while trying to fix the problems they have.

I have also just received some interesting information that if they PIA do continue to operate and don't get banned that the Leeds-Islamabad maybe about to get upgraded from the Airbus A310 to Boeing 777's. The reason given was that 1x of the Boeing 777-200LR's has been freed up from its flying duties on Wednesdays and Saturday due to the airlines Karachi-Barcelona-Chicago service been axed as from March 21st 2012.

 

[Jordan-34092]

I know that but it what I been told, it's something mainly sure to the airport not EU

[ Post made via Android ]

 

[pug]

It seems some clown on wiki has decided that the PIA route will transfer to DSA. There seems to have been a spate of that recently..

 

[User0001]

Lbaspotter,

I was under the impression the ORD via BCN was the B77W, as unlike the MAN JFK flights, they run via BCN both ways.

The B77L is limited to mainly the YYZ and MAN/JFK flights.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

 

[lbaspotter]

Lbaspotter,

I was under the impression the ORD via BCN was the B77W, as unlike the MAN JFK flights, they run via BCN both ways.

The B77L is limited to mainly the YYZ and MAN/JFK flights.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

Just checked http://www.libhomeradar.org website for the flight history for the Pakistan Barcelona - Chicago routing PIA793/794/795/796 and it looks like you right user001. Boeing 777-200ER's, AP-BHX, AP-BGL & AP-BGJ were all regulars on that service.

 

[User0001]

Ah, that's good, as I was sure it wasn't a B77L route.

Thanks LBAspotter

 

[michael]

Well it looks like PIA 775 is delayed again, as of 12.30pm uk time is still showing as delayed on the ISB departures website. Looking like 3 to 4 hours minimum delay.

 

[channex 757]

It departed at 17:45 Islamabad time which is 12:45 in the UK and according to the LBA arrivals board, it is due at 21.15