Flight PK-758 was not able to depart because of technical problems. PHOTO: FILE.
Flight PK-758 was not able to depart on time because of technical problems, leaving passengers stuck at London Heathrow Airport.
The 400 passengers on board were stranded at the airport since December 24.
Some of the passengers were given hotel accommodation by the PIA administration.
Express News footage had showed the desperate passengers asking for PIA to make the necessary arrangements for them.
Geo News, The News International and Daily JANG correspondent Murtaza Ali Shah tweeted about the situation at the London airport:
Chaos at Heathrow Airport,400 PIA passengers stuck for 25 hrs now. Sick,elderly,disabled n children amongst the victims of PIA inefficiency
— Murtaza Ali Shah (@MurtazaViews) December 25, 2013
Syed Faisal Karim, an anchor at Geo News tweeted that a groom missed his Mehndi in Lahore because of the delay:
aae haae
— Syed Faisal Karim (@faisalkarimlive) December 25, 2013
a groom misses his mehndi in #Lahore as PIA flight in #london is delayed for 24 more hours!
Ailing airline
PIA saw a 12.5% decline in revenue and a 42% rise in losses in nine months ended September 2013.
In September, the federal government had decided to initiate privatisation of the airlines by putting up 26% of the national flag carrier’s shares for sale.
According to officials of the PM office, state-run entities, such as PIA, Pakistan Steel Mills and Pakistan Railways, have placed a massive burden on the country’s economy. These unprofitable corporations are inflicting losses of up to Rs500 billion per annum on the national exchequer.
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