CAA fines Turkish Airlines over violating corona SOPs

Passenger was not allowed to travel on flight due to lack of PCR test facility at Istanbul airport

ISLAMABAD:

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on Thursday took strict action against the Turkish Airlines and fined it Rs100,000 for violating the Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs).

According to a notification issued by the CAA’s Air Transport department, the Turkish Airlines had flown a passenger named Muhammad Ashfaq from Mali to Istanbul without carrying out his coronavirus test.

The passenger was scheduled to arrive in Lahore from Istanbul by a connecting flight but he was dropped off at the Istanbul Airport after which, he was stranded there for five days.

The notification said that the Ashfaq was not allowed to leave for a hotel as he did not have a Turkish visa.

The Pakistani embassy contacted the passenger and directed the CAA to take action against the foreign airline.

The CAA had made the Covid-19 test for passengers travelling to Pakistan from category “B” countries mandatory.

On the directives of the Foreign Ministry, the passenger has been granted permission to enter Pakistan without a PCR test and will be brought to Lahore from Istanbul.

The airline will hand over the passenger to the health staff, after which he will be quarantined and tested for Covid-19.

The Turkish Airlines will bear the passenger’s virus test and quarantine charges.

Ashfaq was not allowed to travel on the flight due to lack of PCR test facility at the Istanbul airport.