A unique box suddenly catches people’s eye in the waiting lounge of the airport, where passengers from all over the world are sitting waiting for their next journey. It is written in prominent words: “Comments Card”. When you look closer in surprise, you will see a hundred, fifty, and ten rupee notes and a few helpless coins lying inside. Someone may have even put a two rupee coin like a child taking chocolate money out of his pocket and making a sacrifice.
The passenger starts thinking: “Is this box really for the passengers’ comments or is this comment needed in the form of financial assistance? “Is this donation or PIA’s new business model?”
“Has anyone put their last hopes here?”. The “Flying Jinga La La” of the Pakistani people is not just a box, but a walking advertisement for our national situation. If a foreigner sees it, they might think it is part of a “Save PIA” campaign, or that a comedy film is being shot. If a Pakistani sees it, they will first feel sorry, then laugh, and finally put in a coin or two and move on, fulfilling their national duty.
Seeing this box inevitably raises some questions:
- Is PIA’s ticketing now based on the “Pay As You Wish” principle?
- Will the flight attendant in the future announce: “Ladies and gentlemen! Please place a donation under your seat before landing, because we are not able to cover the cost of fuel!”
- Has anyone thought that if more money is collected in this box, PIA will add it to its income or will it go into the pockets of some officer?
If it were really for impressions, it might have had some interesting notes:
“It was a good flight, but the captain had obvious signs of hunger on his face!”
“The seats were comfortable, but it looked like the air hostesses hadn’t been paid for months!”…
“The air conditioning was great, but at the same time, the whole atmosphere became emotional by announcing a donation!”. The tradition of hiding grief in laughter
This box is a huge social joke and a tragedy. Because we are a nation that finds humor even in the worst situations. If someone had put a donation in this box, they would have laughed along with it: “Come on, brother, let’s arrange tea for the PIA captain!”. In the end, the question is, is this a donation or a new special “fundraising scheme” of PIA?. Is this the only airline in the world that is begging on the ground to stay in the air? And will the passenger on the next flight also be asked: “Sir! Do you want to buy a ticket or would you like to just make a donation and see the window seat of the plane?” This donation box is a mirror of our system, in which we all see the reflection. The only difference is that some people are laughing and some are bowing their heads and regretting.
