A Reuters file photo.

COVID-19 lockdown: Two PIA flights leave for Toronto with 600 on board

US charter plane to fly out American citizens from Karachi and Islamabad today


Waqas Ahmed/saleh Mughal April 03, 2020
ISLAMABAD: Two special flights of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) from Lahore and Karachi airports left for Toronto on Thursday carrying over 600 Canadian nationals.

The authorities allowed the PIA to operate the two flights on the request of the Canadian government.

The Canadian High Commission had provided a list of passengers after which the PIA issued tickets to them.

Flight PK-789 left from Lahore carrying 300 passengers. Similarly, flight PK-781 left from Karachi with 310 Canadian nationals on board.

According to a PIA’s spokesperson Abdullah Khan, the passengers were properly screened before their flights.

The planes and luggage were sprayed with disinfectant in the presence of PIA officials.

It was ensured that the passengers wore masks.

The spokesperson said the flights would return empty from Toronto. “People looking to travel are in touch with the PIA through its offices and call centre for bookings on other flights,” he added.

He requested intending travellers to opt for online booking and ticketing to maintain social distancing.

Separately, the government has given permission to the US embassy to fly American citizens out of the country on a charter flight on Friday (today) and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) aviation director has issued a NOTAM for this purpose.

According to sources, a US charter plane will first land in Karachi and then Islamabad. Three British diplomats will also leave on the plane.

According to the CAA, the embassy staff will not be allowed to enter the terminal building to see off the passengers. It has been permitted to set up a counter at the airport’s kiosks hall.

The sources also said nobody from the plane including its crew would be allowed to step out.

On March 31, the government had decided to partially restore international flights from April 2 after grounding them on March 21 to stem the spread of the rapidly spreading coronavirus infections.

The authorities are considering running three commercial flights to the UK from April 4 after the completion of the necessary protective measures.

On March 21, the Civil Aviation Authority had notified the suspension for all foreign airlines till April 4 and for a week for the country’s national flag carrier.

The decision to suspend international flight operations was taken during a meeting of the NSC.

Foreign airlines operate as many as 980 flights a week to and from Pakistan.

The PIA operates another 396 international flights to 15 countries on a regular schedule.

As for domestic flights, the government has decided to keep them suspended till April 11.

The government had suspended domestic flights on March 26. However, flights between the Islamabad airport and Gilgit and Skardu are exempted from the suspension.

 

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