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PIA starts arrangements for return of hajjis
Staff Reporter
Karachi—PIA team at Jeddah has started preparations for the return
journey of over 127,000 Hajjis from Saudi Arabia on completion of
holy pilgrimage, according to dispatch from Jeddah. The airline’s
Post-Hajj operation will commence from December 2, 2009 and conclude
on January 1, 2010. Civil Aviation Authorities of King Abdul Aziz
International Airport has appreciated the PIA Pre-Hajj operations at
Jeddah and Madinah for speedy handling of passengers to avoid
congestion at the terminal building. Since the commencement of Hajj
operations, PIA established a Central Hajj Desk Situation room and
activated its emergency response Center at Karachi and Jeddah
working round the clock for overseeing and providing information and
services regarding Hajj operations from nine stations in Pakistan
and 2 stations in Saudi Arabia.
PIA operated 33 Hajj flights carrying 15,043 intending pilgrims to
Madinah with 4,146 intending pilgrims from Karachi, 3,260 from
Lahore and 7,637 Hajj pilgrims from Islamabad. Furthermore, PIA
operated 260 Hajj flights carrying 103,971 intending Hajj pilgrims
to Jeddah. PIA airlifted 25,752 intending Hajj pilgrims from
Karachi, 20,050 from Islamabad, 27,661 from Lahore, 16781 from
Peshawar, 9,547 from Quetta and 4,180 intending Hajj pilgrims from
Sialkot. In addition, 8,365 intending hajj pilgrims travelled
through PIA’s regular flights.
Pilgrims from Faisalabad, Rahim Yar Khan and Sukkur were transported
by PIA to Karachi for onward travel to the holy land. The entire
Pre-Hajj operation was completed successfully. All necessary
arrangements were made by PIA in providing proper assistance to
intending Hajj pilgrims. Concerted efforts by PIA and constant
coordination with concerned government agencies led to the
successful completion of Pre-Hajj Operation.
The airline’s Pre Hajj Operation which commenced on October 21, 2009
concluded successfully on 21 November 2009. In all, PIA transported
127,379 intending Hajj pilgrims to the holy land through 293 hajj
flights and regular scheduled flights. |
