Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has pushed back a long-awaited decision on widebody fleet plans until after the arrival of its new chairman and any subsequent management changes.
The carrier was to have decided by 20 March on long-term Boeing 747-300 leases. It is assessing offers from Cathay Pacific Airways and a joint team of Boeing and Pratt & Whitney.
Five Cathay-owned Rolls-Royce RB211-powered 747-300s are in service with PIA but leases start expiring in the coming months and the carrier needs to make a decision. It leased the Cathay 747-300s two years ago as "interim replacements" for grounded 747-200s, but has repeatedly deferred plans to acquire new aircraft. Boeing and P&W have offered PIA PW4000-powered 747-300s bought back from Singapore Airlines as part of a 747-400 freighter deal.
A board decision was delayed after the new appointment was announced, although PIA says this was due to the illness of its managing director, Sher Afgan Malik.
Lt Gen Hamid Nawaz Khan takes over from Lt Gen Nasim Rana as Pakistan's defence secretary and PIA chairman at the end of March.
Industry observers say the appointment heralds management changes at the troubled carrier.
Source: Flight International
