PIA scraps discounts, cuts and suspends flights as fuel costs soar
The airline's spokesperson confirmed that concessions will now be limited exclusively to children and infants
ATT Desk Report 
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has announced sweeping cost-cutting measures, including the termination of all passenger discounts and the suspension of multiple international routes, as surging jet fuel prices continue to strain the national carrier's finances, reports Gulf News.
The airline's spokesperson confirmed that concessions will now be limited exclusively to children and infants, with all other fare discounts abolished. The decision was finalized during a high-level management review focused on mitigating financial losses following the fourth consecutive increase in jet fuel (JP-1) prices in recent weeks.
The sharp increase in fuel costs has been attributed to global supply chain disruptions stemming from ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, particularly the US-Israel conflict with Iran. Jet fuel prices have skyrocketed from approximately $85–$90 per barrel to between $150–$200 per barrel, representing a nearly 150 percent increase.
As part of the operational scale-back, PIA will suspend flights to Beijing from April 11 and to Kuala Lumpur from April 14. Operations to Gulf countries, except for Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, will remain suspended until the end of April. Even flights to the UAE will be significantly curtailed to just 16 weekly services.
"The entire burden of higher fuel prices cannot be passed on to passengers," the spokesperson said, noting that strict administrative decisions had become unavoidable. Additional austerity measures include imposing war-risk surcharges on cargo shipments, operating aircraft with a single engine during taxiing, and restricting onboard catering based on passenger numbers to reduce aircraft weight.
Last week, PIA Consortium Chairman Arif Habib warned that the unprecedented fuel price surge could threaten the airline's sustainability, calling on the government to reverse the increases. Officials expressed hope that suspended routes could be restored once global fuel prices stabilise.
