Pakistan Int'l - by Zeshan Riaz
28 April 2004
A reply to Martin Hathaway's comment - used to be the case with PIA and their timetables,
but you will find the new website is much improved and has got real time updates - including
seat availability and flight status. You can also view the status of your own booking on their website - although I
am not sure that how safe it is to allow that information through the website without any password!
In recent years have seen a great improvement on their flights London-Lahore-London and
travel on that route at least once every year.
Pakistan Int'l - by Martin Hathaway
25 April 2004
Further to my recent message and Mr. Wilding's message regarding being sold a ticket for a flight
that did not exist I must report that PIA's web site is frequently out of date. Three years ago I
planned a trip to Pakistan with the aid of their website. I wanted to fly Islamabad-Gilgit, Chitral-
Peshawar and Peshawar Lahore. From the website I noted the flight numbers and departure and arrival
times. At the travel agent it transpired that all three flights had been rescheduled! Out of date
schedules are about as useful as a bucket with a hole! Being fair I have to say that the website is
otherwise better than average. I especially like the facility that shows all flights for the whole
week of a given date. The websites of most of the best airlines do not feature this thus making use
of the websites a trial and error process. Worse you may not know if such a flight even exists.
Pakistan Int'l - by Paul Wilding
10 April 2004
Bangkok to London Return. Flight to
London went fine but a couple of weeks later when I phoned to reconfirm the return flight I was told
it does not exist. The people in Bangkok had booked it using old schedules. Al they could other was
a new flight a few days later with a night in a hotel in Karachi.
On the flight to Karachi I told a steward what had happened and he told me there was no flight out
of Karachi the following day. Arrived at the airport and was taken to the office where I was assured
it did exist and given a ticket for the flight, sent to a grotty hotel and told I'd be called 4
hours before the flight. 3 hours before the flight they rang, I was told there was no flight. I
would have to wait another day and fly from Islamabad.
The next day was put on a domestic flight to Islamabad and issued with tickets on a new flight to
Bangkok that did exist finally. Checked in for the flight and was asked to pay departure tax, $50.
Politely I told them I was a transit passenger, the victim of their airline's
incompetence and
hadn't even been in their country. Instantly I was screamed at and abused. I asked to see the
manager and was refused. Finally after refusing to budge he opened his door, 50ft away and from
there swore at me and slammed it.
Finally when I paid the tax I was refused a receipt and had to call a policeman to get one.
Pakistan Int'l - by Balal Ahmed
8 April 2004
LHR - LHE - LHR last month on PIA. Outbound - Economy Return Economy+. Both
outbound and return flights were on the Saturday flight. This flight is usually fully packed all the
way to the back of economy and it shows in the service. Opt for the Wednesday flight instead.
LHR-LHE : Firstly I have to say that the check in service at Heathrow has improved
since
PIA started enforcing a 'passengers only to the desk policy'. This has made
check in
much less congested. LHR check in was smooth and efficient no problems at all. One observation is
that PIA always seem to get the gates that are a long walk from the lounge, possibly due to them
renting a cheaper slot ? so far so good.
Once in the plane, the problems started, power cut (Yes power cut on the ground) , rude staff,
grubby presentation aircraft presentation, smelly blankets, broken seats, No
headphones. The flight,
however, left and arrived bang on time.
LHE-LHR : Poor check-in staff, but was prepared for that anyway and is a given, Plane was much cleaner and
staff were much better, food was good, Headphones provided this time. Flight was overbooked and
luggage had to be offloaded hence 30 min departure delay, but flight arrived on time.
Overall, PIA lack the polished effect of a professional airline. There is just that 'little
something' missing that makes the experience a disappointment. Take-offs and landings were silky
smooth both times which is reassuring in a fully loaded massive 747.
My advice, fly PIA if you don't want the hasslel of a transfer, If you don't mind stopovers/plane
changes go for one of the Middle Eastern alternatives.
Pakistan Int'l - by Martin Hathaway
4 April 2004
PIA have been operating for nearly 60 years so they have had more than enough time to get it right,
Virgin got it right in their first year, its as simple as that. All airlines get things wrong
occasionally but PIA get it wrong far too often, I put this down to a bad attitude at government and
executive level. As a European I accept that meals that are appealing to Pakistanis may not be so to
others. Also I accept the reserve Muslim women show to males and especially non Muslim males.
Talking with fellow travellers (British Pakistanis) during my last visit two things became
abundantly clear; Emirates are more reliable and less expensive and the only advantage with PIA is a
direct service. Secondly PIA's International service has improved greatly since the western airlines
cancelled their Pakistan services post 9/11.
Pakistan Int'l - by Atif Darr
7 March 2004
I booked a flight for my wife and 18 month year old son for Manchester - Lahore.
Even though it was
£100 more expensive than Emirates I still made this choice as PIA is 'supposedly' a direct flight
and my wife was 2 months pregnant and in the 'throws of morning sickness'.
We arrived at the airport only to discover that the flight was delayed by 14 hrs! Luckily we live
near the airport so it was not too great an inconvenience for ourselves and we were half expecting
a delay as my mother had travelled 2 months earlier and her flight was delayed by the same amount of
time.
We arrived back at the airport at the ungodly hour of 4:00am the next morning. My wife went to the
gate and I waited for her call to tell me that she was boarding the plane. However, all was not well
the flight now was delayed a further 5 hours! My wife was literally in tears! and I was helpless to
do anything as airport security would not allow her back from the departure lounge. She was in no
condition to to after our son for an additional 5 hours prior to boarding the flight.
Alas there was nothing I could do apart from swearing that I would never fly PIA again. For Heaven's
sake the whole point of her going to Pakistan was to receive some TLC due to a difficult pregnancy
and also having to look after our son at the same time.
I was cursing PIA under my breath as I walked out of the airport. And as I did so as I reached the
airport exit I noticed the flight times board. This flight would not fly directly to Lahore, but
would firstly land in Karachi adding a further 3 hours to the journey time! That truly was the icing
on the cake!!! So in summary what was due to be an 8 hour flight turned out to be a projected 27
hour mammoth expedition!!!! I say projected as she has not landed yet so I do not know the full
extent of the damage!
The moral of this tale is do not fly PIA, do not let your friends and relatives fly PIA, for God's
sake do not let your worst enemy fly PIA!
Pakistan Int'l - by Ayyaz Qureshi
20 February 2004
LHR-LHE economy, KHI-LHR economy plus for rtn. Outbound experience with wife and two
children was surprisingly good. Food was tasty as always. Inflight service was attentive and caring,
male stewards better then female (who seemed to regard passengers as an inconvenience). IFE was
working most of the time. No kids packs (not good). Return flight was nice surprise: plus points
would be spacious seats, nice food, kids served first, clean interior, attentive stewards/
stewardesses. Negative points would be, non maintained IFE system (no sound), no PTV screens, no
kids packs. Good toiletry pack but would have been better if given at start of flight instead of
after landing!
Pakistan Int'l - by S Saif
19 February 2004
I flew on PIA's second brand new 777 on what was only its second flight. I flew from Lahore to
Karachi on the 16th of Feb 2004.I tried till the last moment to get a seat in Business but that was
totally full. I flew in Economy and the arrangement is 3-3-3 which is pretty
good. The service was as
good as any economy you would expect on a short flight but 100 times better then the domestic
flights in USA or the intra Europe flights. A full hot meal was served. The flight was very smooth and
as expected the plane was as new and as clean as possible.
Pakistan Int'l - by Imran Rahim
15 February 2004
Karachi to Islamabad on PK 308 Business Plus on the new 777 aircraft. The seats are
packed into the cabin and the level of comfort is terrible. If a person is 6' ft tall, he or she
will have great difficulty in stretching out when the seat is reclined to flat position.
Even though the aircraft is very new, half the seats have
already started to malfunction. When I asked the purser as to what seemed to be the problem when my
seat never reclined back fully to it's upright before landing, he answered very politely by saying
that the seat had major faults and they were being rectified in a couple of months. All in all the
service was great and the takeoff and landing were very smooth as expected of the 777 aircraft and
with the fact that it was being flown by the Boeing trainer pilots. For a short flight it is great
- but on a long haul trip I would certainly not advise anyone to travel PIA Business Plus on the 777
if they are looking for comfort!
Pakistan Int'l - by Mees van Krimpen
14 February 2004
ISB-AMS Economy and AMS-ISB (via Frankfurt) in Economy Plus. Both flights departed with a delay but
arrived before or on schedule. Old Airbus 310 but more or less clean on departure. Seats (Economy),
despite age are comfortable, the seat pitch is much better compared to e.g. Emirates or KLM. Food is
okay, not outstanding but I do not understand the use of plastic cutlery of an extremely poor
quality. Cabin staff is a bit grumpy but do pay attention to your needs. The male attendants
do their work mechanically, they do not seem to care at all. Economy Plus service
is indeed a touch better, towels (2 during flight), the food is better and a complementary
toiletry kit, not bad at all. On the minus is the IFE. A few overhead monitors and the same films
out and inbound. Recycled and only Pakistani newspapers, inflight magazine not worth a look, if
available at all. As said before, value for money but fleet renewal and refreshing the cabin crew
together customer oriented training will go a long way to improve PIA's standard. Finally, customs
officers at Islamabad Airport are the worst I have met, very rude. Otherwise, check-in and
immigration were okay and efficient.
Pakistan Int'l - by Kashif Urfan
4 February 2004
PIA from LHR-ISL on the upper deck economy plus+ seat and was impressed. Ample legroom and food was top notch. The
entertainment system and especially the pa system should be improved. The urdu
seems fine but when the hostess speaks English, it is a bit of a struggle.
Coming back from Islamabad, after the initial routine hassles at the airport, the flight was fine.
Although no inflight magazines were available, the flight was on time and there were no blocked
toilets - which is usually accustomed to PIA.
Pakistan Int'l - by Uzair Bhatti
22 January 2004
PIA economy class is appalling - I would never recommend. I usually fly LHR-ISB business plus which is excellent. The
cabin staff are there when you need them. The food is excellent and the restroom
facilities
brilliant. PIA lacks the final touches that other airlines offer.
Pakistan Int'l - by Shakil Khwaja
1 December 2003
Chicago to Islamabad - I was pleasantly surprised by level of
attention. Airbus was clean and food mouth watering. The
first 7 hour segment was better than the next 7 hour s -but that may be due to
getting tired. Restrooms were clean too.
Pakistan Int'l - by P Khan
10 November 2003
My whole family and I traveled from LTH to KHi via Dubai, it was the worst flight of our lives, we
are frequent travellers and travel 3 or 4 times a year. At Heathrow the check in desk was busy and
the staff were very rude. Many passengers were so annoyed that they were swearing and shouting at
the staff! On the flight the crew were rude, I asked for water and there was a fly in the cup! In
the next seat to me there was two children under the age of 12 who were travelling alone as their
mother had died, the staff did not give a damn, when I requested assistance for the children, the
stewardess was more interested in checking her make-up. I would never recommend that unaccompanied
children travel on this flight. The toilet was leaking with raw sewage leaking down the aisle, the
smell was unbearable not even a whole bottle of Channel could fix it. I did complain but your
complaints are just ignored. The only reason we went with PIA was it was peak season and it is very
difficult to get 6 seats. This airline needs to change its attitude in order to retain its
customers.
Pakistan Int'l - by Faisal Ahmad
30 October 2003
I too have have lost all hope in the current standard's of PIA customer service,
ethics etc, and the ever aging feet of Pakistan International Airlines. My last experience on
3rd of September from KHI-JFK, on B747-300 aircraft. Seats extremely
uncomfortable, the audio/video entertainment system was malfunctioning - and
when I brought this situation to light with the staff, they casually
replied, this is a technical misplacement, and we are not able to do anything - and that was
it - no apology, nothing. The food was mediocre, bland - andour flight was 8
hours delayed.
Pakistan Int'l - by Mees van Krimpen
28 October 2003
Dubai-Peshawar via Lahore on 24 October in an aged but well functioning A300. Check in at Dubai
was chaotic with the day labourers returning to Pakistan with loads of baggage. Somehow I
received a preferential treatment and got the pre-booked seat without further ado. Onboard I have noticed a gradual improving
service and especially the female cabin crew is very helpful, good humoured and professional. Most
of the (aging) male cabin crew are grumpy and dodging responsibilities and hardly leave the galley
areas, something management should take note of. An early retirement and replacement by young and
enthusiastic staff should be seriously considered to get PIA at par with rival regional airlines
like Emirates, the potential is there. One point of serious concern though is safety. Pre-flight
safety demonstrations, checking of seat belts, stowing of hand luggage etc. is sloppy at best. Within
a minute after take-off the cabin crew is roaming around, I have seen babies sitting on Mom's lap
without the extra seat belt, hand luggage is obstructing the aisles and on two previous
occasions
my seat did not have a life-jacket (I always check that). Reporting this to a (male) attendant I was
told that this was not required for such a short flight and that we were not crossing water. What a
nonsense, ever heard of the Arabian Sea between Dubai and Pakistan ? Otherwise PIA is value for
money, they are mostly in time, food is not exceptional but okay and don't mind to stick to
soft drinks, water, tea or coffee and do without any form of entertainment but for a recycled
newspaper. I feel that fleet renewal, staff refreshment and customer oriented training will enhance
its services and that there is hope PIA can shrug off its sloppy image.
Pakistan Int'l - by Nauman Ellahi
28 September 2003
I flew on PIA from ISB to KHI on 14/09/03 on an A310. The service standard was very
competitive when compared with other airlines I have flown with. The food was reasonable for a short
flight and the cabin crew were professional with a good sense of humour. The condition of the
aircraft was excellent and very clean considering its age and flying hours.
Pakistan Int'l - by M Sheikh
16 September 2003
I have flown PIA for the past 30 years with a few exceptions. I have done this not because PIA
offers good service but because it is my country's airline. The "service" before, during and after
flying is almost always appalling. When you complain the Karachi office responds to "explain away"
their faults etc and nothing beyond. That is when you respond to their explanations and apologies
they go silent. The address of the Customer Disservice officer does not work. When you try to send
your email via the Web Master and request acknowledgement he and the Webmaster go silent.
If only "Customers" could reach the Chairman.
Having said that I am not very hopeful. I know most of the PIA staff is there because someone put
them there and not because they had the merits to be there. That means they are protected species
and further that means they can do or not do whatever they fancy without any fear of losing their
jobs. The "customers" are irritants for them.
They would rather there were no "customers" on their flights. They may succeed if they continue and
the senior and sincere people keep hiding behind the so called Customer Services and fancy web
sites. People like myself will lose hope and give up flying PIA and thus the PIA staff wish of
flying without any passengers will come true.
Pakistan Int'l - by S Dale
19 May 2003
I have travelled with PIA on numerous occasions during the past 15 years -
usually London to Karachi or Islamabad, but also between Karachi and Delhi & aboard domestic
sectors - have used 747, A310, A300, 737 and the little Fokker plane (to Saidu Sharif). I agree they could do with a fleet overhaul (and I do wish
they'd put that 747-300 on the KHI-LHR route), and I think they could be a bit more
imaginative with
the food and drink - other than that I have not been unhappy with their product.
Pakistan Int'l - by N Khawaja
15 May 2003
PIA JFK-KHI on a 747-300 - pleasantly surprised. The flight
attendants had a good humor towards their job and were of a younger age than I remember in the
past. PIA does need to invest in their F/A training program as I feel that sincerity and politeness does
not always translate into professionalism. Service is done with politeness, a smile and even with
humor - but it lacked the final
touch of professionalism. Cabin interior unimaginative when compared to other airlines (Lufthansa/KLM/British Airways).
PIA needs to create an impressive brand image and apply it across the board on all its aircraft.
Pakistan Int'l - by Kasper Tarp
12 May 2003
PIA is trying to rebuild its past image - I like many others have
complained about how lousy PIA has become but my latest experience with PIA was
surprising in
a positive way. I flew their Boeing 747-300 Islamabad - Copenhagen - an excellent
trip and the cabin crew were young and very nice too. There were PTV screens in economy class
- even meals were much better
this time than any of my past trips.
Pakistan Int'l - by
Ziyad Khan
4 May 2003
If you fly on a B747-300 the service is excellent. On the other hand if you fly on a
A-310, A-300, B-747-200 the
service is not so good - aircraft are too old. But unfortunately
747-300 operate only from London, Jeddah, Manchester and sometimes from Copenhagen, Oslo, New York and Toronto.
Pakistan Int'l - by Behramjee Ghadially
17 March 2003
I have flown PIA business and economy class many times and would like to say that PIA's inflight
product depends solely on which aircraft you fly of theirs. If its their 25 year old Boeing 747-200
Combis on routes to JFK, Heathrow (from Karachi only) and Manchester (from Khi only) then you will
never want to fly PIA again after experiencing this plane of theirs.
However PIAs ex-Cathay Boeing 747-300 jumbos on routes to Heathrow, Manchester, Jeddah, Riyadh and
JFK (from Karachi-sometimes , Lahore and Islamabad) are very very good
especially their business
class product which is so cheap. All economy class seats on this aircraft too have
tvs in every seat.
PIA's Airbus A 310-300 which I fly to Dubai and Europe frequently from Karachi and Islamabad are
okay - not too bad and not great. So next time you book a flight on PIA make sure to check out that your aircraft type code is 310/313
or 743 - if it isnt then find another airline.
One only hopes that when their new Boeing 777 arrive sit will have PTVs in every seat and a good seat pitch in economy and business class.
Pakistan Int'l - by S Byrne
11 March 2003
After discovering that only PIA offer direct service from LHR to
Karachi I had to fly with them. Having never flown this airline I was shocked to discover
their
business class product was quite possibly the most disgraceful I have ever flown. The
planes on both sectors were old, and staff rude. The food was disgusting - cold,
mushy and appalling. I would not recommend this airline ever.
Pakistan Int'l - by Adil Qureshi
26 November 2002
I have flown this airline JFK to Lahore's airport a dozen times. and it
is a mixed experience. On some flights crew are fantastic - others not.
The airplanes are very old.
Pakistan Int'l - by Moiz
Hamid
31 October 2002
I have travelled to and from Manchester on PIA and would say that PIA is by no means below other
standards. The meals in economy - they do need improvement. The entertainment does need improvement
Pakistan Int'l - by Kashan Rashid
20 October 2002
Flew LHR-ISB-BKK-ISB-LHR recently in Business Plus. I found the overall product good
with good seat pitch and width and
excellent food options - Pakistani & int'l. The standard of staff has improved -
maybe because they have much younger staff than couple of years ago. FA were attentive and
came round to the passengers regularly to check if they needed anything. A disappointment
is inadequate Inflight Entertainment. Between LHR and ISB they didn't even have an in
light entertainment guide or a copy of inflight magazine.
Pakistan Int'l - by O Ahmad
8 October 2002
Was expecting the worst as a result of previous experience. Surprised to see a turnaround. Crew
in Economy are courteous, polite, patient (especially when you
have kids) - refilled drinks during meals without asking, kept checking if everything was OK
etc. Downside - Plane, a 747-200 feels as if it is about to collapse. One steward warned me
about spilling
water in the toilet as there was wiring underneath! Also you have to put baby bassinets on the
floor so you sacrifice your legroom.
Pakistan Int'l - by A Kaleem
16 September 2002
Many passengers on
PIA flights are rude to crew members. I'm sorry to say that most Pakistani people
don't know how
to fly - the reason why PIA's aircraft are dirty is because of the passengers!! They constantly
litter during the flight and keep going to the toilet and creating a mess! PIA service has improved
- I flew business class in January 2002 on the London-Islamabad route on
a 747-300 and the crew were friendly and helpful. The seats were
quite good and had their own TV's. Food was
excellent and so was the service. The senior purser even came around and spoke to the passengers
asking about the service/food.
Pakistan Int'l - by Jamal Hussain
26 August 2002
I've been flying JFK-Manchester and London-Karachi and back on PIA every 6-8 weeks for the
past couple of years. I have found the flights on their B747-300's satisfactory
in both First and Business class. The 747-200's are not quite as comfortable but I
don't think they
operate many of them on the routes I fly. I cannot speak for the experience in economy class as I
haven't flown it yet. I have not noticed the crew being rude to passengers on
' flights I have taken. Conversely, I
have noticed ' passengers being rude to them! The food has always seemed very good - but I generally
don't eat on my flights east bound (all night flights). Traveling west' the food beats that on any
US carrier's First Class menu.
I like the way PIA's Captains and First Officers come out and talk to passengers in the cabins - a
nice touch and totally unexpected in this post 9/11 world.
I advise those that have had inflight service issues on PIA to report them to the Purser or Captain - these are usually very professional and helpful people.
The bottom line when traveling PIA is to remember that you are flying on the airline of a
conservative third world country. The culture and social customs differ from those in the west - If
you are a man and expect female cabin crew members to look you in the eye, act friendly or respond
to jokes or advances, you will be disappointed. Similarly, if you treat the crew with little
respect, as I have seen many PIA passengers do, the crew is not going respond with good service.
Pakistan Int'l - by Adnan Anwar
31 July 2002
I travelled recently with PIA (JFK to ISB via Manchester) and was surprised to
notice PIA Crew was friendly and responsive to passenger needs - compared to my last
visit (6
years back).
PIA had excellent crew Service but due to the age of the B747-200 combi, the rest was
bad. The inflight entertainment is 25 years old, Audio was Mono, Economy class
Legroom pitiful. If only they upgrade their fleet then things will be lot better.
Pakistan Int'l - by C F Doebbler
03 July 2002
This airline is a horror story, or at least that was my experience with them. When I bought a ticket
from Qatar to Islamabad, this unreliable airline dropped me off in
Peshawar without warning. I and
about twenty other passengers were left to fend for ourselves in what was then on the border of a
war zone. In fact when boarding the plane, despite armed security checks people were carrying
weapons openly!! I would warn people about using this airline unless absolutely necessary.
Pakistan Int'l - by M Faisal Ahmad
28 June 2002
Besides being very arrogant in terms of customer service, I must emphasize that PIA is not the
cheapest. I have travelled from Washington, Dulles to Islamabad via London and Dubai by Virgin
Atlantic and Emirates with astonishingly cheap fares, and superb service
throughout. And let
me also mention, being a direct flight is not an advantage, when the entire staff is notorious for
the delays, which is till' this day very common. In conclusion, PIA has to revamp its entire image,
in order to compete with the rest of the most respected airlines, such as Virgin
Atlantic, Emirates,
Singapore Airlines. This move can start with the upgrading of their fleets to B747-400/B777, or
A340's. They have to improve their food service in terms of quality and quantity. I was
appalled when
I had asked for a second glass of coke, and I was told that they were out of coke, and all soft
drinks.
Pakistan Int'l - by Sami Shaikh
20 May 2002
I have read most of the comments under PIA and would agree with some, but beg to differ with the
others.
I agree the aircraft are old with poor in flight entertainment systems and extremely dirty
toilets. My suggestion to Capt. Abdullah Hafiz is that perhaps as an interim measure, PIA may
consider refurbishing the interiors of its aircraft.
As for the staff, I think they do not have the appropriate tools to deliver a service which can make
PIA competitive. Better equipment, facilities and training will certainly help to push standards.
The overall package needs a total make over to create positive customer experience.
At the moment I feel that the only factors which is keeping the airline afloat are the expat
Pakistanis who are always looking for the direct route back home and low fares.
Overall, my experience with PIA has been acceptable. This perception is only based on helpful and
courteous staff.
Pakistan Int'l - by M Zaka
11 May 2002
The airline standards on PIA are really bad, but they are cheap flights compared to other airlines,
so for the amount of money that people spend on the flights you cant expect a wonderful service.
Pakistan Int'l - by S Asghar
01 March 2002
I have travelled to Pakistan and back (to Manchester) many times on PIA. The journey is usually
quite pleasant and I feel very relaxed and comfortable travelling with other Pakistani's. I would
like to say all good things about PIA, but unfortunately, there are a few things that need
improving. Most of all, the staff need to go on a customer care course. The staff have always been
very arrogant and unkind. There has never been a smile on their face, they have no courtesy what so
ever. I will continue to use PIA in the future as this is the airline of our Country and we should
do everything we can to promote it.
Pakistan Int'l - by J Al-Nasir
23 February 2002
I have travelled by PIA too many times to remember. The new London-
Lahore route is very very quick on the Ex-Cathay 747's. Departing from
London a few months ago I had a tough time with the rude check-in staff
who refused a seat in the upper deck (the plane was almost empty).
In the end I got my own way. On my return from Lahore-London I flew
First class which was much better, more legroom (I'm 6ft) and nice food
too. PIA's Flights are usually very reliable - out of about 30 only one
or two were delayed. In PIA's Economy cabin, the staff sometimes look
at you as if to say "What are you doing here"! Since the 70s, things
have changed. It's the more peripheral things that need a major overhaul
like Customer Service!
Pakistan Int'l - by Syed Ahmed
05 February 2002
There are certain things you have to consider when you rate an airline. There are lots of options
from NYC to Karachi or Lahore such as middle eastern airlines and European airlines but the shortest
flight is offered by PIA when it comes to time. Other airlines have a long layover or transit stay
while PIA only takes two hours unless an emergency occurs. When you are going to Pakistan for 2
weeks, every hour in the air seems like a wastage.
For those of us who don't eat anything but Halal meat, PIA is an excellent option. You can
certainly use Gulf Air or Kuwait Airways but then you have two stopovers in middle east.
One of the main things that I like about PIA is their prices for international flights. No
airline beats that!
On the downside, PIA staff does lack courtesy and manners. While PIA has the best training curriculum, it doesn't guarantee the
attitude of the individual would change - pay scale plays a major part in it. The same Pakistani
people work in middle eastern airlines and their behavior is completely different.
I think if PIA wants to compete in the international arena they have to improve their quality of
service. In a world where quality of service is the bread and water of
revenue, PIA has to go a long
way.
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