PIA to prepare list of poor-performing pilots, likely to be retired under MSS  

KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has ordered to make a list of its pilots showing poor performance as the national airline plans to retire them under mandatory separation scheme (MSS) after the expiry of the voluntary separation scheme (VSS), ARY NEWS reported.

According to a spokesman of the PIA, the national flag carrier has ordered flight operations to scrutinize the pilots on a professional basis.

Director Flight Operations (DFO) PIA has been directed to make a list of pilots who have consistently shown poor performance in flying and have safety issues in line with the published and approved PIA training policies, the spokesman said.

It is likely that PIA will force retire such pilots under the MSS scheme expected to be launched in January 2021.

It is pertinent to mention here that the PIA has announced yesterday to extend the time limit of the voluntary separation scheme (VSS) availed by its employees.

The decision was made in a meeting headed by PIA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Air Marshall Arshad Malik. An official notification in this regard was also issued during the meeting.

The notification issued by the Human Resource department of the national flag carrier read that the employees could now avail from the VSS scheme uptil December 29.

“We have already received funds of Rs 12 billion from the federal government for payments under the VSS programme,” the PIA CEO said.

Earlier in the day, it was reported that more than 1,300 Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) employees have submitted applications seeking early retirement under the voluntary separation scheme (VSS) the airline lately introduced to cut its employees to reduce cost.

A mandatory retirement scheme will follow the VSS, under which employees with poor performance will be laid off, the sources said.