Negative list: Indian crew not allowed to leave airport
FIA sources said immigration officials refused to grant three Indian crew members leave the airport premises.
FIA sources said immigration officials refused to grant three Indian crew members leave the airport premises. PHOTO:FILE
LAHORE:
Three Indian crew members of a Qatar Airways flight were denied permission by immigration officials on Friday to stay at a local hotel when their flight was delayed due to poor visibility caused by foggy weather.
The crew not allowed leave airport premises were Co-Pilot Shah Pooja Manikant, Mehat Rahul and Gala Rani Tina. The flight departed at 4.30 pm on Friday after a 40-hour delay.
Officials familiar with the matter told The Express Tribune that Qatar Airways International flight was scheduled to depart for Doha at 3:25am on January 30, 2014 but was delayed due to bad weather.
They said Qatar Airways management requested Immigration Wing of the FIA to allow crew members a stay at a local hotel until the flight could take off.
FIA sources said immigration officials refused to grant three crew members who were Indian citizens permission to leave the airport premises.
The airline authorities were told that India falls in List-C (negative countries), could not, therefore, accommodate them.
Pakistan is a signatory to international conventions allowing crew of flight services to stay in foreign countries on the basis of a general geclaration (without visas).
This is not required at many airports where accommodation facilities are available. Allama Iqbal Airport, however, does not have accommodation facilities and such crew members generally stay at hotels outside airport premises on the basis of “short-term” visas.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 1st, 2014.
Three Indian crew members of a Qatar Airways flight were denied permission by immigration officials on Friday to stay at a local hotel when their flight was delayed due to poor visibility caused by foggy weather.
The crew not allowed leave airport premises were Co-Pilot Shah Pooja Manikant, Mehat Rahul and Gala Rani Tina. The flight departed at 4.30 pm on Friday after a 40-hour delay.
Officials familiar with the matter told The Express Tribune that Qatar Airways International flight was scheduled to depart for Doha at 3:25am on January 30, 2014 but was delayed due to bad weather.
They said Qatar Airways management requested Immigration Wing of the FIA to allow crew members a stay at a local hotel until the flight could take off.
FIA sources said immigration officials refused to grant three crew members who were Indian citizens permission to leave the airport premises.
The airline authorities were told that India falls in List-C (negative countries), could not, therefore, accommodate them.
Pakistan is a signatory to international conventions allowing crew of flight services to stay in foreign countries on the basis of a general geclaration (without visas).
This is not required at many airports where accommodation facilities are available. Allama Iqbal Airport, however, does not have accommodation facilities and such crew members generally stay at hotels outside airport premises on the basis of “short-term” visas.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 1st, 2014.