FAISALABAD: PIA Chairman Air Marshal Arshad Mahmood Malik says short-term and long-term plans are in the works to revive the airline.

Addressing members of the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry here on Monday, he said revival was a daunting task as compared to launching a new airline.

Also read: Another go at a PIA turnaround

The chairman said getting rid of seven loss-making routes was his first priority. He said three direct flights from Faisalabad to Jeddah would be introduced from Feb 15. He said two different teams would visit Faisalabad next week to review the expansion of the runway and to evaluate local cargo potential.

He said 18,000 workers were on the airline payroll and the number was high compared to international standards.

FCC President Syed Zia Alumdar Hussain and former FPCCI president Mian Idrees also spoke on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2019