PIA staffers refuse to provide protocol duty at Jeddah airport

The airline’s station manager files complaint about ugly incident involving SC lawyer

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan International Airlines workers have refused to provide protocol duty at Jeddah airport after a senior lawyer travelling back home misbehaved with an airline staff and hurled abuse at him, it was learnt on Friday.

A letter written by the national air carrier’s station manager in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah catalogued the incident in detail.



Muhammad Ali Khandwala, PIA’s station manager, also filed a complaint about an incident involving senior Supreme Court lawyer Akram Sheikh.

Sheikh allegedly misbehaved with one of the workers there and publicly hurled abuse at him. A copy of the letter was obtained by The Express Tribune. “As per practice, Khurram, the coordinator, was called from home and was deputed for protocol of Akram Sheikh. As usual, Khurram called Akram Sheikh and coordinated [with him] regarding his arrival time and … reached the airport well before time to receive him,” the station manager recalled.

“Akram Sheikh did not call Khurram on his arrival … and carried his trolley to the check-in counters. He was annoyed and called Khurram and asked about his availability. (When) Khurram … reached the counter, he was already annoyed. He started shouting and abusing him in front of (other) passengers. He created a scene at the check-in-counter … where flight check-in was in progress. He further shouted and asked him (Khurram) to get lost. Since Khurrum is a very seasoned protocol staff, he did not respond to filthy and dirty language/abuses … He left the scene to avoid any further misbehaviour,” he continued.



“On this our staff Junaid and SGS supervisor [Shakeel] immediately handled the situation and escorted him in the lounge. He (Akram Sheikh) further left 2 pieces of baggage (two bags) to be sent directly to Lahore on next flight and to be delivered to his son … as committed by PIA management. Though it is against the SOP, but it was accepted only to pacify him and defuse the (situation). This … attitude is uncalled for and (the) staff was very reluctant to handle him.”

“After this incident, it is regrettably informed that all PHS staff at Jeddah airport have categorically refused to extend any kind of protocol to guests in future.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 28^th, 2016.