MUHAMMAD ALI

KARACHI: Some eight pilots of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) have resigned only in current year, due to “unprecedented” flight duty time limitations (FDTL) planning that what they claim carries high element of fatigue.

The pilots, who resigned so far include Capt Faisal Younis (after 15 years of service), Captain Bakhtawar Hussain Jaffery (after 19 years of service), Captain Sadia Aziz (after 15 years of service), First Officer (FO) Khurram Baloch (after 9 years of service), FO Alison Oscar (after 7 years of service), FO Humza Zain (after 9 years of service) and FO Zuhair Ilyas (after 4 years of service).

In a letter sent to Director General Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA), Rizwan Gondal, president of Pakistan Airline Pilots’ Association (PALPA) confirmed that PIA has recently introduced some changes in FDTL planning, causing high element of fatigue, adding that this cost-cutting exercise was actually “compromising” flight safety.

He said that these augmented flights were in “violation” of the bilateral PALPA-PIAC working agreement 2011-2013 and this new flight situation would not allow pilots to avail themselves of the allocated rest time, while rest periods before and after the flights were not defined by the operator and were not reflected on their rosters.

Furthermore, Gondal said the airline scheduling failed to keep in mind the effects of fatigue, compounding adverse effect on crew health and therefore safety of flight.

“The same is reflected in a number of captains’ de-briefs. Majority of crew are reluctant to accept these flights. However, those on contract are forced to carry out these duties under pressure in fear of losing their contracts,” President Palpa said.

“As a result of such policies, the backlog is tremendous. The members are suffering professional anxiety on account of being deprived of their legitimate expectancies. “Pilot productivity is at its lowest. The management is unwilling to reconsider its current modus operandi which is unworkable,” he claimed.

Meanwhile, FO Khurram Baloch, who resigned on August 17th in his letter to Director Flight Operations (DFO), said that he started feeling “suffocated” with the current working environment forcing him to work or face dire consequences.

Similarly, Captain Adnan Ahmed Malik (an A320 Captain) in his resignation letter to the CEO PIA cited the “dysfunctional” organizational culture at PIA the main reason for his resignation.

When contacted PIA spokesman Mashood Tajwa said that airline management was in touch with PALPA and issues would be resolved shortly.