PIA ready to cope with cyclone impact

National carrier activates Emergency Response Centre and Ramp Safety Task Force

KARACHI:

The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) put in place a contingency plan in the wake of incoming cyclone, activating its Emergency Response Centre and Ramp Safety Task Force, a spokesperson said on Tuesday.

The PIA spokesperson said that the impact of the storm on the airports and airstrips was likely to begin at 3 am Wednesday (today), therefore, the operational preparedness had been completed to cope with the situation.

“The storm and consequent strong winds and gusts would start impacting the air sites and air routes at 0300 hrs local time on Wednesday,” he said in a statement. “PIA has completed its operational preparedness to avoid any untoward incident,” he added.

Authorities in Sindh, in collaboration with the armed forces, are on high alert as ferocious tropical cyclone named as Biparjoy approached the coastal areas of the province. The cyclone is expected to make the landfall on Thursday, June 15.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said that Biparjoy was now 410km south of Karachi by Tuesday and it was most likely to track further northward until June 14 morning, then re-curve and cross between Keti Bandar and Indian Gujarat coast.

“As precautionary measures against the impact of the cyclone hitting the coastal areas of Karachi and Sindh, PIA management has activated security and ramp safety teams operating in round clock shifts for safeguarding against any potential hazard to assets, equipment or life,” the spokesperson said.

“PIA has also activated its 24 hours Emergency Response Centre which will closely monitor and take immediate actions for flight operations in case of weather deterioration. In case of bad weather situation at Karachi and Sukkur airports; Multan and Lahore would be used as alternative air fields,” he added.

The spokesperson said that Karachi-Sukkur-Karachi flights on Tuesday, operated by an ATR, had been cancelled due to strong winds, while decision on Wednesday’s flight would be taken according to the weather conditions.

The national carrier's Ramp Safety Task Force was already making rounds of the apron to secure any loose or mobile equipment, away from the parked aircraft, parking bays and other operational areas, the spokesperson continued.

“Baggage containers, trolleys, dollies, engineering equipment and ramp vehicles are being moved to secure premises, while the parked aircraft are also secured by applying parking chokes and other mechanisms.”

The spokesperson advised all guests booked to travel during the cyclone days to check their flight statuses from the PIA call centres before arriving at the airport. He said that the situation was being reviewed moment by moment.