Security threats: BKIA’s domestic, foreign flights diverted or cancelled

Passengers returning to Peshawar or heading abroad were shifted to and from Islamabad.

PESHAWAR:

The flight schedules of eight national and international airlines were disturbed following firing at a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) passenger plane while landing at the Bacha Khan International Airport (BKIA) late Tuesday night.

According to sources at the airport, immediately after the incident, flights scheduled to land at BKIA were diverted to Islamabad. Passengers heading abroad were shifted to Islamabad via bus while those meant to be arriving in Peshawar were also shifted to the provincial capital from Islamabad via bus. Some BKIA flights were cancelled as well.

Disruptions

Etihad Airways flight EY261 carrying 261 passengers from Abu Dhabi was scheduled to land at BKIA but was diverted to Islamabad instead and passengers were driven by bus from Islamabad to Peshawar.

Similarly, flight EY262 scheduled to carry 136 passengers to Abu Dhabi from Peshawar was rescheduled to leave from Islamabad, and passengers were driven there.

Emirates Airlines’ flight EK637 scheduled to arrive from Dubai to Peshawar at 8:40am was cancelled following the incident, while flight EK636, scheduled to depart from BKIA at 7am, also suffered the same fate.

Three flights of the national carrier were also disturbed. A Peshawar-bound flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia was cancelled along with two more Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights heading to Abu Dhabi and Karachi at 5am and 2pm, respectively, on Wednesday.

Similarly, Shaheen Airlines’ scheduled flight for Abu Dhabi was cancelled as well.

Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Spokesperson Abid Ali Qaimkhani told The Express Tribune that flight operations at BKIA have resumed. He added an enquiry will be launched into the incident, however, he insisted the shooting occurred outside the premises of the airport.

Flights scheduled for Thursday (today), including a Qatar Airways flight and Saudi Airlines flight, will arrive and depart as per schedule.

Keeping a vigilant eye

Airport authorities have been focusing on keeping security arrangements up to the mark and holding rehearsals on how to thwart possible militant attacks. Keeping in mind the attack on the Karachi airport earlier this month, on Tuesday, the CAA conducted anti-hijacking drills at BKIA.

Aside from the Airport Security Force, other law-enforcement agencies also participated in the exercise in order to perfect the standard operating procedures set for all agencies deployed in and around the airport. 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 26^th, 2014.