PCAA Issues Notice To Foreign Airlines Causing Inconvenience To Pakistani Passengers

The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) has issued notices to foreign airlines including Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, Emirates Airlines, Etihad Airways and Fly Dubai for causing inconvenience to passengers by cancelling flights in recent weeks.

According to the spokesperson of the Civil Aviation Authority, the affected Pakistani passengers are facing severe inconvenience and stress. However, the Civil Aviation Authority has given foreign airlines until July 8 to resolve all passenger issues.

The notification issued by the Civil Aviation Authority has strongly instructed the foreign airlines to ensure the return of tickets to the passengers and payment for the losses incurred in the form of compensation.

The CAA says that the airlines should ensure the flight and accommodation facilities for the passengers coming to Pakistan as soon as possible, otherwise the Civil Aviation Authority has the right to take strict disciplinary action against these airlines.

CAA ISSUES INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS TRAVEL ADVISORY

The Civil Aviation Authority – CAA, has issued a travel advisory for international flights amid the coronavirus pandemic, stating that only 20 flights will be operated in Pakistan till July 15.

The aviation authority stated in the notification that 80 per cent of inbound international flights will be banned except for the operations up to 20 per cent in harmony with the Summer 2021 schedule.

It added that the international inbound flights were improved to 40 per cent only for direct flights from the United Kingdom (UK), Canada, Europe, Malaysia, and China from July 1.

The CAA also noticed that some foreign air carriers operating to and from Pakistan are over-booking passengers for inbound flights to Pakistan from different international destinations on the conjecture of a predictable authorization of the heightened quota in the next NOTAM.

Later, the airlines started cancellation of the overbookings on the pretext that CAA has cancelled flight authorizations thereby holding the blame on Pakistan’s aviation authority.

It added that CAA has taken strict notice of the wrongdoing by foreign airlines leading to public discomfort and inconvenience for the travellers and reserves the right to take punitive action.

In another development today, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) announced to operate special flights to Doha from Islamabad in July.

The PIA spokesperson stated that two special flights will be functioning from Islamabad to Doha on July 5 and July 12, whereas, two flights will depart for Islamabad from Doha on July 6 and July 13.