In some videos captured during a PIA local flight Pk-304 from Karachi to Lahore, airhostesses start dancing shortly after the plane takes off and distribute gifts among the passengers. On the recording of Pakistani song ‘Boohay Barian’, some young male passengers also join these dancing airhostesses to make the environment more colourful. Airhostesses distribute flowers, bangles and sweets among the passengers to celebrate spring festival during flights . To what extent midair dance or celebrating spring festivity is safe for passengers and crew only an aviation expert can comment on it, but being an aviation journalist, I am of the view that it is not only a safety hazard but also an objectionable act on a flight.
Sources in the aviation said PIA management took concept of spring festivity during flights from the airline of neighboring country, India, whose management celebrated Holy during flights , in which colours were thrown on the passengers to celebrate the festival.
Another step was taken by the current management to introduce truck culture by painting different slogans on service trolleys in planes. An aviation expert said that this was quite a different idea, but it was not kept in mind before painting the trolleys that they were supposed to be washed against a high temperature which could spoil the painting after some time. It is worth mentioning here that heavy amounts of money are spent on repainting of the trolleys.
Among other ‘achievements’ of the current management, a big decision of foreign posting board was stayed by the Sindh Hingh Court a couple of days back. Questions were raised on it by the senior officers of the airline that liking and disliking was observed during foreign posting board. Sources in the airline said the chief HR officer tried her best to convince the Senior Staff Association office bearers not to approach a court against foreign posting board decision.
Salaries have not so far been paid to the PIA officers and employees due to financial crisis in the airline. Chief Commercial Officer Bilal Munir is leaving on a foreign trip along with six of his cronies to check international stations like Oslo, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Paris and Milan. All of them will draw heavy amounts as TA/DA apart from other perks.
When contacted, a PIA spokesman said dancing during flights was not a permanent feature of airline crew, but it was a one-time gesture to welcome the spring. To a question about nonpayment of salaries, he said the staff from group one to four will be paid on Friday (today) while officers will get their salaries on the coming Monday.
