PIA strike grounds some Pakistan flights

KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) -- Employees at Pakistan's state-owned airline went on strike Tuesday in protest against a proposed route-sharing agreement with Turkish Airlines, an airline spokesman said. The move grounded two international and four domestic flights.

The action involved a small group of pilots and support staff, according to Pakistan International Airlines spokesman Mashhood Tajwar. Some employees opposed to the strike scuffled with its supporters at Karachi International Airport, according to witnesses.

Union bosses were not available for comment, and it was not clear whether the strike would spread or be sustained.

PIA bosses have said they are considering sharing some routes with Turkish Airlines to try and increase profitability. Carriers around the world have increasingly done this to tap new markets without investing in extra planes and staff.

Some of PIA's around 20,000 employees fear this will lead to job or pay cuts, though this has been denied by PIA management.

Plagued by bad management and hit hard by Gulf airlines offering better services, PIA has posted multimillion dollar losses for years. Subsiding it and other loss making state-run businesses eats up a significant chunk of the government's budget each year.