The 40th session of the e-kacheri took place at the Civil Aviation Headquarters in Karachi, with the Director General presiding over the meeting. The Additional Director General, Deputy Director General Regulatory, Deputy Director General Airport Services, and the Deputy Director General Works and Development, along with Directors from various key Directorates, were also present.
The session was dominated by complaints related to airlines, both foreign and local. These complaints included issues such as passenger offloading, ticket refunds/compensation, staff misbehavior, and missing or damaged luggage. The DGCAA while addressing these grievances requested further details from passengers via email to resolve issues quickly. Additionally, inquiries were made about the closure of Peshawar Airport, as well as the non-operational status of DG Khan and Saidu Sharif Airports.
The DGCAA informed that it would be at least 6 months before any dates for Peshawar Airport’s runway reconstruction and closure could be provided. Regarding Dera Ghazi Khan and Saidu Sharif Airports, the DG CAA explained that these airports are operational, but airlines do not find them destinations financially viable.
The national carrier PIA had previously operated flights to these airports but could not sustain them due to insufficient passenger load, the DG added. The DG CAA also addressed instances of misbehavior with passengers at Multan Airport, urging affected passengers to provide specific details like date and time of these occurrences to help trace and hold the individuals involved accountable.
The DG CAA emphasized that any staff found guilty of misbehaving with passengers at the airport would be reported at the highest level. In response to an inquiry, the DG CAA issued strict instructions to implement the Government’s minimum wage policy, warning that non-compliance would result in companies being blacklisted.
In response to a repeated complaint from an aggrieved who’s relative was imprisoned overseas for carrying medicine deemed contraband item by the destination country, the Director General ordered a prompt resolution by ordering to provide a detailed report to the complainant.
The DG CAA believed that the report could have legal significance in helping the aggrieved party secure the passenger’s release, as the report indicated that the passenger had been entrapped by a now-dismissed CAA employee.
Other queries included horticulture improvements at Jinnah International Airport, the absence of Egypt Air operations in Pakistan, the availability of Ethiopian Airline for travel to Africa, the presence of a radio cab company at Islamabad Airport, the designation status of AirSial and FlyJinnah for UAE operations, and the installation of direction signs for a facsimile facility at Islamabad Airport.
The DG CAA concluded by expressing gratitude to passengers and the public for using the platform to contact the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority and reaffirmed the authority’s commitment to facilitating passengers and addressing their grievances.
