Jeddah airport: PIA flights affected due to increased air traffic

National carrier has operated over 170 extra flights so far for Umrah.

LAHORE: A number of PIA flights have been affected due to increased air traffic at Jeddah Airport in the current Umrah season, sources said on Tuesday.

PIA Managing Director Nadeem Khan Yousufzai has instructed PIA officials to provide special care to PIA Umrah passengers. PIA has established a control room at Jeddah Airport to monitor the Umrah flight operations, they said.

All PIA Umrah departures and arrivals were on time with the exception of a few delays during the past few days due to the non-availability of parking bays at Jeddah Airport. Besides this, there have been some incidents of violent protests by passengers of some foreign airlines at the airport because of which operations of many airlines were disturbed.

To facilitate its passengers, PIA has made special arrangements at Jeddah Airport for the provision of food and accommodation in case of unforeseen circumstances.

The matter has been taken up with Jeddah’s civil aviation authorities, the sources added.

PIA has operated so far over 170 extra flights for Umrah.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 31^st,  2011.