PIA revamps aircraft design, features Markhor on tail end

KARACHI: The exterior design of aircraft of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), reeling from financial crisis, have been revamped with their tail end and engines painted with endangered species Markhor instead of national flag, ARY News reports. 

Sources privy to this development say PIA aircraft will wear a new look with national flag to be painted on the exterior of aircraft’s fuselage and Markhor on their tail end and engines.

Two designs of aircraft have been readied, which feature the screw-horn species on their tail instead of national flag.

Sources said an official at the helm of the affairs of the civil aviation division gave go-ahead signal to new designs without any approval from the board of directors of the national flag carrier, which is said to have been kept in dark about the decision.

18 aircraft were added to the fleet of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) over a course of four years and the government plans to induct more planes on dry and wet lease, Parliamentary Secretary for Cabinet Secretariat Javed Ikhlas told the National Assembly.

He said the flights to USA have been closed by the PIA since November last year due to heavy losses on this route.

In Feb, the Cabinet Committee on Privatization (CCoP), which met at the PM Office with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in chair, gave go-head to the proposal for initiating restructuring process in Pakistan International Airlines Corporation (PIA).

The go-ahead was given after a detailed presentation on PIACL and the discussion that followed in the meeting which addressed issues related to PIACL and Pakistan Steel Mills (PSMC).

It was decided during the meeting to segregate core and non-core functions of the organization.