Hajj Flights Operation 2011

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raihans
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Re: Hajj Flights Operation 2011

Post by raihans »

^ why the caption reads like Sialkot: Hajj Pilgrims disembarking from 1st Hajj flight at Allama Iqbal International airport
Have the Sialkot management changed the name of Sialkot Airport to Allama Iqbal International Airport or the Sialkot flight is diverted to Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore? Or i got it in wrong way?
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jam2k94
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Re: Hajj Flights Operation 2011

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It looks typying mistake.
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Abbas Ali
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Re: Hajj Flights Operation 2011

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The airport in this photo is without any doubt Sialkot as also indicated by model of mobile stairs case.

Apparently the newspaper by mistake called it "Allama Iqbal International".

I think two different airports in Pakistan cannot have same name so Sialkot Airport will have to choose some other name because name "Allama Iqbal" is already used by Lahore Airport.

Abbas
Abbas Ali wrote:A PIA Boeing 747-367 (probably AP-BFW) operated first post-Hajj flight of year 2011 for Sialkot on November 19.

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Source: Waqt
For comparison, photo taken at Sialkot Airport in year 2010.

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raihans
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Re: Hajj Flights Operation 2011

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yeh i can see the stairs are of Sialkot Airport design / paint. Thanks for info.
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Abbas Ali
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Re: Hajj Flights Operation 2011

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Normalcy has returned to PIA Hajj flights operation. PIA will transport remaining sixty-five thousand pilgrims from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan in next twenty days, according to following news report published in November 22, 2011, edition of Urdu daily 'Express'.

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Source: www.express.com.pk

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Re: Hajj Flights Operation 2011

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PIA eyes soft landing in Hajj operations next year

Khurram Bari Khan

Sunday, November 27, 2011

JEDDAH:
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) aims to conduct a smooth post-Hajj operation next year and to cut returning flights to half during peak days and secure crucial facilities from Saudi Arabian authorities at the Jeddah Terminal, the national flag carrier’s Director Airport Services, Aijaz Mazhar, said.

Talking to journalists at the terminal of King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA), Mazhar, who is also Chief Coordinator Hajj Operations, said that Saudi authorities had accepted two of six PIA suggestions, while the plan to reduce flights needed approval from PIA management.

The PIA schedule remained highly skewed this year as about half of the passengers were supposed to fly back during the first ten days after Hajj, while the remaining in the next 20 days, shifting most of the load on initial flights. “Congestion during the first few days remains the key issue,” he said. “A lot of Hajjis (pilgrims) want to come late and leave right after performing Hajj, burdening the whole system. But this can be easily managed if we spread our flights over the remaining days.”

Flight delays, ranging from 3 to 11 hours, wreaked havoc at the world’s fourth largest terminal in Jeddah from November 10 to 14 this year. Thousands of stranded pilgrims from across the world transformed the 100-acre area into an adult orphanage covered with dozens of huge fiberglass tents. With 56 airlines operating from the terminal, PIA was among the few handling bulk of the flights, rising as high as 112 a day.

According to the airline data, PIA operated 12 daily flights using eight planes and the average delay per plane was five hours.

There was an absolute chaos during the first four days of the operation and Pakistani pilgrims faced a lot of inconvenience before they finally got on board. According to the airline officials, pilgrims who were supposed to board on the first flight arrived late for a variety of reasons and that had a domino effect on the forthcoming flights till PIA pulled the schedule back on track by November 14. “There is a minimum turnover time for Boeing 747, which was slashed from two to one hour only. But since there was a backlog created the very first day, we couldn’t meet the schedule for the next three days,” Mazhar said.

Around 180,000—five percent of the total 4 million pilgrims—traveled from Pakistan this year to attend the world’s biggest pilgrimage held at the Holy City of Makkah and its surrounding areas.

PIA carried 60 percent of the Hajj traffic from Pakistan. The rest was distributed amongst Saudi Airlines, Nas Air and Shaheen Air.

The uneasy return: Flying home after performing Hajj has always been a nightmare for pilgrims as it entails time management and patience at every stage.

From leaving hotel to getting on bus, along with luggage, lots of time goes wasted and congested roads only make the matter worse.

Hundreds of buses form a beeline, disgorging thousands of pilgrims at the Hajj terminal.

Pilgrims are often left with no choice but to scramble for check-in counters and chase limited number of seats, leaving the whole system in tatters.

About a 300-member staff of PIA, mostly loaders carrying luggage, handled 4,500 passengers on a daily basis. “This year, we were able to secure one of the total 14 processing lounges at the terminal exclusively for PIA, which has a capacity to seat 500 passengers. That saved pilgrims from long queues and running from one counter to another. That also reduces PIA’s burden by 50 percent,” Mazhar added.

As the number of pilgrims keeps rising over the years, it will become even more difficult to facilitate pilgrims at the only Hajj terminal in Saudi Arabia.

There are several proposals on the table made by Saudi authorities as well as the airlines, but the only way to mitigate pilgrims’ sufferings is their timely implementation.

Source: The News

Saudi Arabia to add terminals for Hajj

Sunday, November 27, 2011

JEDDAH:
Saudi Arabia has planned to open up its West Terminal at King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) while another project is underway to start a Hajj terminal at Madina airport to facilitate pilgrims, a top official of KAIA said.

“We are doing our best to facilitate Hujjaj (pilgrims) and for that we will open west terminal and a new Hajj terminal at Madina,” Engineer Mohammad Abid, Director General KAIA briefed journalist at Jeddah’s Hajj Terminal.

KAIA airport serves as a major hub for Saudi Arabian Airlines as well as other carriers, especially during the 12th month of the Islamic calendar when tens of thousands of people arrive in Jeddah to perform Hajj.

Around four million people performed Hajj this year and the number is increasing each year. The new development at KAIA that started in 2006 is likely to complete in 2014. —Khurram Bari Khan

Source: The News
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Abbas Ali
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Re: Hajj Flights Operation 2011

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PIA Post-Hajj Flights Operation Continues

Lahore, November 29, 2011:
More than 64,500 Hajjis have returned to Pakistan through 181 Post Hajj flights. PIA spokesman said here on Tuesday.

PIA has operated 24 Post Hajj flights to Karachi bringing back 10,430 hajjis to Karachi, 24 flights to Lahore with 11,917 hajjis, 27 flights to Islamabad bringing back 13,165 hajjis, 40 flights to Peshawar with 11,650 Hajjis, 53 Post Hajj flights to Quetta bringing back 10,847 while PIA has operated 7 flights to Sialkot with 3,503 hajjis and 6 flights to Multan with 2,988 Hajjis.

PIA spokesman further said that the airline’s Post Hajj operation will conclude on 10 December 2011.

Rush at Hajj terminal at Jeddah has decreased and PIA Hajj flights are departing on time. PIA Spokesman concluded.

Source: PIA Press Release (November 29, 2011)
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jam2k94
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Re: Hajj Flights Operation 2011

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MD PIA Apologise for his statements in regads of camels travel for Hajj. Below is the Link.

http://www.geo.tv/12-9-2011/u162036.htm
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Re: Hajj Flights Operation 2011

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Managing Director PIA Captain Nadeem Yousufzai told the National Assembly Standing Committee on Defence that this year, Hajj pilgrims were treated like ‘international passengers’, adding that the waiting time at airports for passengers travelling to Saudi Arabia was reduced to six hours.

“There are 14 boarding lounges for Hajj pilgrims at the Jeddah airport, and 78 airlines operate from there. PIA was the only one to get one boarding lounge reserved [exclusively] for the pilgrims,” he said.

During the meeting, the managing director also apologised for his remarks that Hajj pilgrims should be “thankful for travelling in aircraft, rather than on camels”.

Source: tribune.com.pk

At this committee meeting, PIA also presented an appreciation certificate given to them by CAA of Saudi Arabia on their performance during Haj 2011, according to other news reports.

In this certificate, it has been written that “PIA is one of the major airlines among all who operated from King Abdul Aziz International Airport, Jeddah during hajj operation 2011.

Performance of PIA remained the best among major carriers in all areas especially regularity, arrangements, flight information and passengers handling. This high level of performance can only be achieved by strong competent leadership and team work shown by PIA. We hope for the same level of performance in future.”

Post-Haj flight operation to be completed today

December 10, 2011


The one-month post-Haj flight operation, which started on November 10 to bring back Pakistani pilgrims from Saudi Arabia, will be completed on Saturday.

During this Haj, Ministry of Religious Affairs had sent around 180,000 pilgrims to the Holy land to perform their religious obligation under the government and private schemes.

More than 175,000 pilgrims have so far returned from the holy land through 426 flights operated by different airlines including Pakistan International Airlines, Saudi Airlines and Shaheen Airlines from Jeddah and Madina airports, official sources at the Ministry told newsmen here on Friday.

The sources expressed complete satisfaction over the smooth conduct of pre and post-Haj flight operations.

Source: www.brecorder.com

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Re: Hajj Flights Operation 2011

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PIA Hajj operation 2011 concludes

December 11, 2011
PIA Hajj operation 2011 was completed by bringing back over 110,000 Hujjaj to Pakistan.

This was stated by PIA spokesman, here on Saturday.

PIA spokesman said that PIA was allotted an exclusive bay this year for processing its flights, which helped in the PIA post Hajj operation to become normal on the fifth day.

Congestion at Jeddah Airport where 80,000 to 100,000 passengers arrive at the same time for their return journey through 74 international carriers caused initial delay in the departure of earlier flights.



For continuous flow of information and facilitation of Hujjaj, a team of senior officials was deputed whose duty was to remain available among the passengers, while electronic flight information display was installed at remote check-in area where updated information about PIA was displayed.

No other airline had installed such flight display monitor.

In order to ensure PIA visibility, all PIA employees working at Hajj terminal were wearing fluorescent jackets "PIA HAJJ DUTY".

Hujjaj were guided right from bus arrival area to the boarding area by a group of senior representatives of the airline.


Furthermore, PIA scouts equipped with loud speakers made important announcements for passengers' convenience.

A special team was dedicated for filling 100 percent immigration cards in order to facilitate Hujjaj through the process.

PIA also used metal detectors to pre-screen Hujjaj before the GID security check in order to prevent from unnecessary hassle and delay at GID security counters.


During its post-Hajj operation, PIA carried 110,726 Hujjaj through 273 flights to Pakistan.

96,200 Hujjaj were brought back through 266 special flights from Jeddah.

Among these, 22 flights with 10,884 Hajjis arrived in Karachi, 19,495 in Lahore through 39 flights, 19,766 flown to Islamabad from Jeddah through 40 flights, 62 flights carried 18,600 Hajjis to Peshawar, 16,058 Hujjaj arrived in Quetta through 79 flights, 3,503 transported through seven flights to Sialkot and 8,432 brought back to Multan through 17 flights.

The national airline also carried over 14,000 Hujjaj on regular scheduled flights and chartered flights to Pakistan, PIA spokesman concluded.-PR

Source: www.brecorder.com
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Re: Hajj Flights Operation 2011

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PIA advertisement in today's (February 3) newspaper showing the two certificates of appreciation issued to the airline and its Director Airport Services, Syed Aijaz Mazhar by Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) and Director General of Jeddah's King Abdulaziz International Airport.

Text on certificate issue to PIA:

"General Authority of Civil Aviation

Certificate of Appreciation

PIA is one of the major airlines among all who operated from King Abdul Aziz International Airport, Jeddah during Hajj Operation 2011.

Performance of PIA remained the best among major carriers in all areas especially regularity, arrangements, flight information and passengers handling. This high level of performance can only be achieved by strong competent leadership and team work shown by PIA.

We hope for the same level of performance in future.”

Signed by:

Sami A. Badr
Manager, Hajj & Umrah Terminal
King Abdulaziz International Airport"

Text on certificate issue to PIA Director Airport Services, Syed Aijaz Mazhar:

"King Abdulaziz International Airport

General Authority of Civil Aviation

Certificate of Appreciation

This certificate is issued to Mr. Syed Aijaz Mazhar in appreciation for the excellent services and cooperation during Hajj season 1432H at King Abdulaziz International Airport.

Signed by

Engr. Mohamed A. Abed
Director General King Abdulaziz International Airport"

PIA's message:

"Pakistan International Airlines sincerely thanks Director General, King Abdulaziz International Airport, General Authority of Civil Aviation and the Manager, Hajj & Umrah Terminal (Jeddah), the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for their kind comments of appreciation and confidence in our ability to serve people during Hajj Operation 2011."

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SalamPaks
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Re: Hajj Flights Operation 2011

Post by SalamPaks »

Yo, I would have just sent them a thank-you card and a fruit basket.
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Re: Hajj Flights Operation 2011

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PIA Wins Pakistan Consumers Choice Award for Hajj Flights

KARACHI, FEBRUARY 23, 2012:
The 7th Consumers Choice Awards Ceremony organized by Consumers Association of Pakistan (CAP) - www.consumersassociationpk.org - was held at a local hotel in Karachi where 104 manufacturers/companies and service providers of Pakistan were awarded shields for their quality products and services.

Mr. Kaukab Iqbal, Chairman Consumers Association of Pakistan said that every year Consumers Choice Award is extended for products and services after extensive surveys and web polls of the consumers. This is the 7th CAP award ceremony.

PIA was awarded “The Best Hajj Service Provider Airline”. The prestigious award was presented to Managing Director PIA, Capt. Nadeem Khan Yousufzai by Chief Guest, Minister of Information Technology Sindh, Mr. Mohammad Raza Haroon.

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Managing Director PIA, Capt. Nadeem Khan Yousufzai while sharing his views on the occasion said that PIA had made special arrangements at Jeddah for the convenience of the Hajjis. The airline transported over 110,726 Hajjis through 273 flights to Saudi Arabia. The massive Hajj Operation 2011 has completed successfully.

MD PIA said that PIA this year was awarded certificate of appreciation by General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for excellent services and cooperation during Hajj Operation 2011 where performance of PIA remained the best among major carriers in all areas especially regularity, arrangements, flight information and passenger handling. The Consumers Choice Award is also witness to our commitment in providing quality service to our passengers, he added.

MD PIA congratulated Mr. Aijaz Mazhar, Chief Hajj Coordinator & Director Airport Services and the PIA Hajj operations team for their efforts. PIA’s priority is customer satisfaction and InshaAllah, the airline will be inducting new aircraft in its fleet which will further provide better services to its customers, he concluded.

Source: PIA Press Release (February 23, 2012)
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Re: Hajj Flights Operation 2011

Post by affan »

The planes from hellenic imperial airways were used by PIA express. AP_BIC
http://www.aparm.net/ap-baa_ap-bzz/ap-b ... ap-bic.htm