Over 1,300 PIA employees agree to retire early

KARACHI: 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.

Well-placed sources told ARY News that over 1,300 applications have been received since the scheme was brought in. Today is the last date for submission of applications under the voluntary separation scheme, they added.

Also Read: PIA to cut employees to 7,500, get 6 new aircraft next year

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

They said the management of the national flag carrier, taking a leaf from foreign airlines’ book, has devised a restructuring plan to turn it into a profit-making entity.

Read: PIA to lay off 3,500 employees under voluntary separation scheme

Besides laying off almost half its employees, Pakistan International Airlines plans to move its head offices, including the flight services division, commercial department and human resource divisions, to Islamabad by the end of January as part of the restructuring plan.