Special flights: Hajj pilgrims start returning home
Six flights will arrive in Pakistan today
LAHORE:
Pakistan International Airlines commenced its post-Hajj operation to bring back pilgrims on October 8. Five flights – three Lahore-bound flights, one for Islamabad and one for Karachi – arrived on Thursday morning. Nearly 1,900 pilgrims arrived in Pakistan on Thursday.
The pilgrims were seen off at Jeddah Hajj Terminal by Airport Services Director Aijaz Mazhar and PIA Country Manager Shahbaz Ahmed among other PIA officials.
The first flight, PK3102, arrived in Lahore at 11:50pm, flights PK3202 arrived at 2am and PK3418 at 10:30am. Islamabad-bound flight PK3062 arrived at 4:30am. PK-3002 arrived at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi at 8:30am. Flights for Karachi and Islamabad were delayed for slightly more than an hour due to severe congestion at Jeddah Hajj Terminal. The other flights arrived on their scheduled time.
PIA officials handling passengers and PIA Scouts at the immigration counters on Jeddah Hajj Terminal helped home-bound pilgrims fill immigration forms and offered assistance prior to the security screening.
However due to severe congestion at the immigration and security screening counters at Jeddah Hajj Terminal, several flights experienced delays. The situation usually normalises in a week’s time as the rush subsides. Senior officials of the PIA greeted pilgrims at the airports in Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi and were presented rose garlands upon their arrival. On Friday (today), six flights will arrive in Pakistan – PK3108 in Lahore, PK3602 in Quetta, PK3206 and PK3204 in Islamabad, PK3004 in Karachi and PK3502 in Peshawar.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 10th, 2014.
Pakistan International Airlines commenced its post-Hajj operation to bring back pilgrims on October 8. Five flights – three Lahore-bound flights, one for Islamabad and one for Karachi – arrived on Thursday morning. Nearly 1,900 pilgrims arrived in Pakistan on Thursday.
The pilgrims were seen off at Jeddah Hajj Terminal by Airport Services Director Aijaz Mazhar and PIA Country Manager Shahbaz Ahmed among other PIA officials.
The first flight, PK3102, arrived in Lahore at 11:50pm, flights PK3202 arrived at 2am and PK3418 at 10:30am. Islamabad-bound flight PK3062 arrived at 4:30am. PK-3002 arrived at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi at 8:30am. Flights for Karachi and Islamabad were delayed for slightly more than an hour due to severe congestion at Jeddah Hajj Terminal. The other flights arrived on their scheduled time.
PIA officials handling passengers and PIA Scouts at the immigration counters on Jeddah Hajj Terminal helped home-bound pilgrims fill immigration forms and offered assistance prior to the security screening.
However due to severe congestion at the immigration and security screening counters at Jeddah Hajj Terminal, several flights experienced delays. The situation usually normalises in a week’s time as the rush subsides. Senior officials of the PIA greeted pilgrims at the airports in Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi and were presented rose garlands upon their arrival. On Friday (today), six flights will arrive in Pakistan – PK3108 in Lahore, PK3602 in Quetta, PK3206 and PK3204 in Islamabad, PK3004 in Karachi and PK3502 in Peshawar.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 10th, 2014.