Another Halted Flight: Jeddah bound plane forced to abort take-off
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) jet bound for Saudi Arabia with 508 people on board forced to abort take-off.
MULTAN:
A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) jet bound for Saudi Arabia with 508 people on board was forced to abort take-off in Multan on Thursday when fumes engulfed a terrified cabin, officials and passengers said.
The Boeing 747 on flight PK 3539, carrying pilgrims to Jeddah, taxied towards the runway despite concerns from passengers.
“When we boarded the plane, we smelt a strange smell and smoke inside. We complained to the crew, but they ignored it and told us it was because of roasted meals,” Shamshad Begum, a passenger,
told AFP.
“The plane went for take-off but stopped minutes later when passengers protested strongly and there was chaos,” she said.
PIA spokesperson Sultan Hassan said there were 493 pilgrims bound for Makkah and Madina and 15 crew on board. They were re-routed on another flight that finally took off nine hours later. “The hydraulic system of the plane failed just before take-off and its fumes came inside the cabin,” Hassan told AFP.
“We off-loaded the passengers and sent them on another plane to Jeddah at 12 pm.” Recent reports have been rife with horror stories of technical faults and chronic delays blighting the ailing national carrier over the last few weeks.
Last month, bomb alerts forced two PIA planes to land at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport and in Kuala Lumpur, but no bombs were found. PIA operates special flights every year to transport thousands of pilgrims for Hajj every year.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 21st, 2011.
A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) jet bound for Saudi Arabia with 508 people on board was forced to abort take-off in Multan on Thursday when fumes engulfed a terrified cabin, officials and passengers said.
The Boeing 747 on flight PK 3539, carrying pilgrims to Jeddah, taxied towards the runway despite concerns from passengers.
“When we boarded the plane, we smelt a strange smell and smoke inside. We complained to the crew, but they ignored it and told us it was because of roasted meals,” Shamshad Begum, a passenger,
told AFP.
“The plane went for take-off but stopped minutes later when passengers protested strongly and there was chaos,” she said.
PIA spokesperson Sultan Hassan said there were 493 pilgrims bound for Makkah and Madina and 15 crew on board. They were re-routed on another flight that finally took off nine hours later. “The hydraulic system of the plane failed just before take-off and its fumes came inside the cabin,” Hassan told AFP.
“We off-loaded the passengers and sent them on another plane to Jeddah at 12 pm.” Recent reports have been rife with horror stories of technical faults and chronic delays blighting the ailing national carrier over the last few weeks.
Last month, bomb alerts forced two PIA planes to land at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport and in Kuala Lumpur, but no bombs were found. PIA operates special flights every year to transport thousands of pilgrims for Hajj every year.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 21st, 2011.