Passenger left behind and found unconscious at BKIA

Ismail suffers from epilepsy; was transferred to LRH for treatment


Umer Farooq July 30, 2016
Bacha Khan International Airport. PHOTO: EXPRESS

PESHAWAR: In a peculiar turn of events, a passenger was left behind at the international lounge of Bacha Khan International Airport (BKIA) Peshawar even though he had obtained his boarding pass. The passenger was later found unconscious at BKIA’s washroom.

Ismail was traveling to Jeddah from BKIA via Shaheen International Airline, which, according to officials at the facility, left behind a passenger despite the fact that the passenger had obtained boarding pass and had checked in.

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A Civil Aviation Authority official said Ismail had obtained his boarding pass and had entered the international departure lounge to leave for Jeddah. He added it is unusual for a passenger to be left behind once a boarding pass is issued to them.

The official said once passengers receive the boarding pass, they must be present in the lounge. If that is not the case, the passenger must be searched for.

“Even if he had been sleeping or was at the washroom he should have been looked for since he had received the boarding card,” the official said. He requested anonymity since he was not entitled to speak on behalf of the airline.

He added Ismail is believed to epileptic and was found unconscious in a washroom at the international departure lounge by other passenger. The passengers notified the airport officials who later called medics.

When contacted, Shaheen Airline officials said Ismail was set to leave for Jeddah via NL-773 at 1:55pm but did not make it to the flight despite repeated announcements.

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“We made some 25 announcements and the airline employees searched for Ismail in the washroom, mosque, lounge and executive lounge but could not find him,” Mushtaq, the manager at Shaheen Airline office at BKIA told The Express Tribune.

He said the airline tried its best to find Ismail but at the same time kept in mind the problems being faced by all those passengers onboard.

“We did our best but when Ismail could not be found, we could not delay the flight since other passengers were waiting in the plane,” he added.

Ismail was found unconscious in a washroom and was immediately reported to the health section. He was shifted to Lady Reading Hospital for treatment.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 31st, 2016.

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