Tag: airport

  • Bird strikes increase at domestic airports; PIA faces crores in losses

    Bird strikes increase at domestic airports; PIA faces crores in losses

    Bird collisions with planes at domestic airports have increased as national carrier PIA reports that the airline has incurred losses amounting to crores of rupees as a consequence of these collisions.

    PIA reported 38 bird strike incidents involving its planes from January to June this year.

    The majority of these collisions occurred at Lahore Airport, with 14 incidents, and Karachi Airport, with eight incidents, over the past six months. Additionally, seven cases were reported at other locations. Four incidents were reported at Multan Airport and one each at Sukkur, Faisalabad, and Gilgit Airports.

    The incidents primarily occurred during landing and take-off, resulting in additional expenses of crores of rupees for PIA.

    The Civil Aviation Authority is responsible for keeping birds away from airports, but the necessary systems have not been installed.

  • CAA dues leave over 35 planes at Karachi Airport in ruin

    CAA dues leave over 35 planes at Karachi Airport in ruin

    More than 35 planes at Karachi Airport have become junk for years now, with birds laying eggs in them.

    The defunct planes have deteriorated amid a dispute over customs and CAA dues. Among the grounded planes are an Airbus 310 and two jumbo 747s, many of which have been damaged.

    Some planes belong to PIA, among other airlines, and could not be removed because of the ongoing issue.

    Reports stated that some parts of the parts have gone missing but the spokesperson clarified that these reports are not true, reports Aaj.tv.

  • Imran Riaz not allowed to go abroad despite court orders

    Imran Riaz not allowed to go abroad despite court orders

    YouTuber Imran Riaz was allegedly stopped by immigration authorities at Islamabad International Airport and not allowed to perform Hajj because his name was on Exit Control List (ECL).

    In a video shared on social media, Riaz could be seen talking with an immigration official grabbing a paper and saying, “According to this, my name should be removed from Exit Control List (ECL) and Passport Control List (PCL) and if the Judge has ordered this then this list should have been updated.”

    The officer agreed with him and said, “Either the list should be updated or you require a one-time special permission to fly abroad.”

    On May 29, the YouTuber shared on social media that his name was removed from the no-fly list on the orders of the Islamabad High Court and he would go to perform Hajj.

    On June 3, Riaz wrote on X that despite the court orders his name wasn’t removed from ECL and PCL.

  • Fire breaks out in Lahore Airport; first Hajj flight halted

    Fire breaks out in Lahore Airport; first Hajj flight halted

    A fire broke out in the lounge of Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore on Thursday morning, reportedly affecting the immigration process at the airport , while the first Hajj flight from Lahore has also been delayed.

    According to airport sources, the fire broke out due to a short circuit in the ceiling of the immigration counter.

    Civil aviation personnel extinguished the fire, and brought it under control.

    According to the authorities, after the immigration process was affected by the fire, Hajj pilgrims are being processed from the domestic counter.

  • Dubai begins construction of ‘world’s largest’ airport terminal

    Dubai begins construction of ‘world’s largest’ airport terminal

    Dubai announced on Sunday that work had begun on a new terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport, which the Gulf emirate’s ruler said will become “the world’s largest” at a cost of almost $35 billion.

    “We approved the designs for the new passenger terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport, and (are) commencing construction of the building at a cost of AED 128 billion ($34.85 billion),“ Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates, said on X.

    Once fully operational, the airport will “handle a passenger capacity of 260 million annually”, the government said in a statement.

    Sheikh Mohammed said it will have “the world’s largest capacity” and be “five times the size of the current Dubai International Airport”, which is one of the world’s busiest air hubs.

    According to Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and CEO of flag carrier Emirates, “the first phase of the project will be ready within a period of 10 years, with a capacity to accommodate 150 million passengers annually.”

    Built on the city’s outskirts, Al Maktoum airport has received a relatively small share of the Gulf financial hub’s air traffic since 2010.

    Authorities want it to replace Dubai International Airport, which has a capacity of up to 120 million passengers annually and whose city-centre location prevents expansion.

  • Why was Shahid Khaqan Abbasi barred from flying abroad?

    Why was Shahid Khaqan Abbasi barred from flying abroad?

    Former Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi faced a brief hiccup on Friday when he was initially stopped from flying abroad due to his name being on the no-fly list, as per Shahzad Ali of Samaa.

    However, after clarification, he was allowed to proceed with his travel plans to China.

    Mr. Abbasi and his wife were at Islamabad Airport to catch a flight to China when immigration authorities informed him that he was on the stop list based on orders of the Sindh court.

    Consequently, he was told he couldn’t continue his journey and had to return from the airport lounge.

    Eventually, the issue was resolved, and he was permitted to travel.

    When reached for comment, Mr. Abbasi denied any disruption and stated that he had already departed for China.

    Despite attempts to contact the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) immigration authorities for clarification, no response was received.

    Earlier last month, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s son Abdullah Khaqan Abbasi was prevented from leaving the nation at the Islamabad airport by immigration officials.

    On a foreign carrier, flight EK-613, Abdullah Khaqan Abbasi was scheduled to travel for Dubai.

    Due to the fact that Abdullah’s name was on the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) stop list, the FIA immigration officers stopped him.

    Earlier, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s bail had been extended by the Sindh High Court in a case related to an unauthorized appointment at Pakistan State Oil (PSO).

    The court also ordered that Abbasi’s name and those of the other defendants be added to the Exit Control List (ECL).

    The case involved allegations against Abbasi, Arshad Mirza, Imranul Haque, and Yakoob Babar, with the former petroleum secretary also being present during the court hearing.

  • Kab aur kaisay a rahey hain Nawaz Sharif?

    Kab aur kaisay a rahey hain Nawaz Sharif?

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is all set to welcome back their leader to Pakistan and the stage is being set by his party leaders and members.

    If there are any doubts about his return, we have the details of his flight booking for you.

    Sources have said that the former premier will return to Pakistan on October 21 via a connecting flight. Sharif will land at Abu Dhabi International Airport from London on October 21 and on the same day, he will leave for Lahore.

    Mian Nawaz Sharif’s business class ticket for flight 243 on a private airline had been booked in advance. The PML-N supremo’s flight will land at the Lahore Airport at 6:25 PM.

    Nawaz Sharif was permanently disqualified in 2017 for not declaring an outstanding salary. After that, he went to London in 2019 for a medical checkup and hasn’t come back yet.

    The PML-N, with the assistance of its legal team, intends to petition the Lahore High Court (LHC) for Nawaz’s bail prior to his arrival in Pakistan. This decision has been made in order to prevent Nawaz from being arrested at Lahore airport, as he has been declared a proclaimed offender.

  • Which famous airport is going to be passport-free?

    Singapore’s Changi Airport will introduce a passport-free facility for travellers next year, media reports have confirmed.

    Changi Airport is one of the busiest and most beautiful airports in the world, playing host to 100 domestic and international take offs daily.

    Communications Minister Josephine Teo stated in the parliament that Singapore Changi Airport is also soon to introduce automated immigration clearance, allowing passengers to travel out of the city without a passport, using only biometric data.

    This would make Singapore one of the few countries to introduce automated and passport-free immigration clearance

    Biometric technology and facial recognition software are already being used to some degree at immigration checkpoints at Changi Airport.

    The Minister of Communications, however, clarified that passports will be required in other countries for which passengers must keep their passports nonetheless.

    Apart from Singapore, Dubai is among the countries using facial recognition and fingerprints instead of passports at airports and so is Hong Kong, Tokyo, London and Delhi.

  • Passenger arrested for carrying Ihram towels soaked in heroin on flight

    Passenger arrested for carrying Ihram towels soaked in heroin on flight

    The Airport Security Force (ASF) has recovered Rs. 70 million worth of heroin in a raid from a passenger flying to Istanbul from Islamabad International Airport.

    The suspect, Imran, was travelling for Umrah when 5 kg and 448g of drugs were found on his person. He had soaked three Ihram towels with a solution of heroin.

  • Flight takes U-turn after passenger gets severe diarrhoea

    Flight takes U-turn after passenger gets severe diarrhoea

    A Delta Air Lines airplane was flying from Atlanta to Barcelona when two hours into the journey, they were forced to turn around because of a “biohazard issue” after one of the passengers developed severe diarrhoea.

    In an audio posted on X (formerly Twitter), allegedly from air traffic control, the pilot can be heard telling that a passenger had diarrhoea “all the way through the airplane, so they want us to come back to Atlanta,”

    As per the BBC, the plane was cleaned and flew to Barcelona the next day.

    Delta confirmed in a statement to Insider website that the plane had to take a u-turn to Atlanta due to a “medical issue” on board and because the plane had to get cleaned:

    “Delta Flight 194 from Atlanta to Barcelona returned to Atlanta following an onboard medical issue.

    “Our teams worked as quickly and safely as possible to thoroughly clean the airplane and get our customers to their final destination. We sincerely apologise to our customers for the delay and inconvenience to their travel plans.”