Hajj Flights Operation 2011

[Abbas Ali]

PIA Begins Hajj Flights Operation With On Time Flight Departures

Lahore, October 1, 2011: Ten (10) PIA Pre-Hajj Flights carrying a total of 3,648 intending pilgrims departed on time from Quetta, Peshawar, Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore between September 30th 2011 and October 1, 2011.

While the Pre- Hajj flights that are due to depart after 16:00 Hours on 1st October include PK1903 from Quetta at 1830 hours, from Peshawar PK1603 at 2045 hours and PK 1703 at 2359 hours.


Lahore, October 1, 2011 - Managing Director PIA, Capt. Nadeem Khan Yousufzai bid farewell to intending hajj pilgrims of PIA's first pre-Hajj flight from Lahore.

Managing Director PIA, Captain Nadeem Khan Yousufzai bid farewell to the intending pilgrims at Lahore Hajj terminal while Deputy Managing Director PIA, Mr. Salim Sayani and Director Airport Services PIA, Mr. Aijaz Mazhar at Karachi airport Hajj terminal. Director Marketing PIA, Mr. Anjum Amin Mirza sent off the intending Hajj pilgrims from Quetta.

This year, PIA will carry approximately 109,000 intending pilgrims on 305 Pre- Hajj flights to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from Pakistan. The Pre-Hajj operation will continue till 31st October 2011.

Source: PIA Press Release (October 1, 2011)

[Abbas Ali]

OCTOBER 1, 2011 - A PIA Boeing 747-367 parked at Hajj Terminal of Lahore's Allama Iqbal International Air Port (AIIAP). The first pre-Hajj flight of PIA from Lahore carried 499 pilgrims to Jeddah.

Twenty-nine flights of Saudi Arabian Airlines and eight flights of Shaheen Air will also transport Hajj pilgrims from Lahore to Saudi Arabia.

PIA will transport a total of 1,20,000 pilgrims from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia with 305 pre-Hajj flights.

Abbas

[Abbas Ali]

PIA Arranges Janitors for Hajj Flights

Sunday, October 02, 2011 - PIA Managing Director Nadeem Khan Yousufzai said that the PIA had made special arrangements for the Hajj operation this year. He mentioned that 1,20,000 passengers would be flown through 305 flights for Haj this year. The PIA tried to buy in exclusive landing/takeoff slots but that could not be materialized. But the PIA had booked a Haji camp in Jeddah close to the airport so that, in case of delay in any flight, the Hajis would not be bothered by being stranded at the terminal, he said. Their luggage would be transported before them to the airport to reduce their hassle. This year, the PIA had arranged a janitor on every flight, he added.

Source: The News

[rayyanullah]

It would be interesting to learn of the inflight duties of the "Janitor"
I feel someone from security should also be there to look after the janitor as there is a chance that the janitor may try and escape to the greener pastures of the Kingdom.

[Abbas Ali]

I think the main job of janitor will be to keep aircraft lavatories clean and in running condition incase they are badly misused by passengers during the flight.

Abbas

[Abbas Ali]

OCTOBER 1, 2011 - PIA scouts helping a passenger before departure of PIA Pre- Hajj flight from Karachi while Deputy Managing Director PIA, Mr. Salim Sayani and Director Airport Services PIA, Mr. Aijaz Mazhar felicitated intending hajj pilgrims at the Hajj Terminal, Karachi Airport.

All PIA Hajj Flights Departures on Time

Lahorei, October 2, 2011: PIA pre–Hajj Operation which commenced from 30th September 2011 has so far, operated Twenty (20) Pre-Hajj Flights carrying a total of 7,436 intending pilgrims to Jeddah.

Flights have departed on time from Quetta, Peshawar, Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore. While the Pre- Hajj flights that are due to depart after 16:00 Hours on 2st October include PK-1905 from Quetta at 1840 hours, from Peshawar PK-3605 at 2045 hours and PK-1705 at 2359 hours.

Source: PIA Press Release (October 2, 2011)

[Abbas Ali]

Photo of a PIA Boeing 747-367 that operated first pre-Hajj flight from Lahore on October 1, 2011.

The Boeing 747 is seen parked at Hajj Terminal of Lahore's Allama Iqbal International Air Port (AIIAP).

The photo appeared in October 2, 2011, edition of Urdu daily 'Express'.

Source: www.express.com.pk

Abbas

[Salman Haider]

120,000 pilgrims to fly by PIA this year

LAHORE, Oct 01 (APP): National flag carrier for Pakistan (PIA) is handling a big Haj operation this year and airlifting 120,000 pilgrims to Saudi Arbia by 305 flights.

Addressing a press conference at a local hotel on Saturday, Pakistan International Airline (PIA) Managing Director Nadeem Yousaf Zai said that Haj was a grand operation and PIA was trying to facilitate passengers.

He said that PIA had very good liaison with the Haj Ministry and Haj preparations had started 5 months earlier.

He said that PIA was not a commercial airline for Haj service and it did not earn profit in this regard. "For the first time, a Haji camp has been set up in Jeddah to overcome problems of pilgrims due to delayed flights," he added.

He said that PIA had tried it best to fully facilitate pilgrims as they were guests of Almighty Allah. He said that PIA was not responsible for engine failures as it was an industrial problem.

He said the biggest problem PIA was facing after petrol was spares. "A tender of $ 700 million had been floated for the purchase of spares and it will benefit PIA worth $7 to 15 million.

He said, "We were trying to increase our revenue and reduce cost. PIA is not like other commercial airlines and when ever the country needed it, PIA offered it services."

He said that PIA evacuated many affected people from war zones and floods. "PIA is in a transition stage and it has demanded interest-free loan from the government," he added.

He said PIA was also setting up strategic business units for cost cutting and it would earn $ 6.5 billion in three years.

He said that PIA would buy new planes after the Haj operation adding it was also working for the welfare of its employees.

He said when a bird hits a plane it makes a loss of $ 2 million. "We have written letters to chief ministers and Civil Aviation Authority to take proper precautionary measures to overcome the problem," he added.

To a question, he said that PIA should have 80 planes. To another question, he said that PIA was facing approximately a deficit of Rs 130 billion.

[Abbas Ali]

Pilots’ body promises support for Haj operations

Tuesday, October 04, 2011

KARACHI: Pakistan Air Line Pilots Association (PALPA) has assured the management of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) of its full support for its Haj flight operations without compromising on any safety rules.

It said in a statement on Monday that the Managing Director Captain Nadeem Yousufzai, in a meeting with PALPA President Suhail Baluch, had sought support of the member pilots in order to operate Haj flights without disruption.

The MD promised to share all details with employees’ associations and other stakeholders regarding purchase and lease of aircraft and a recent maintenance and spare parts contract signed with a Dubai-based firm.

The PALPA leader assured him of the association’s support and offered to operate flights with single set instead of augmented crew if the CAA gave consent to the proposal and no safety measures were compromised.

He said that Haj operations were the biggest operations of the airline every year where rational flight operation scheduling and planning was mandatory. The pilots would go an extra mile to make Haj operations successful, he said.

PIA management and PALPA agreed that the number of hours flown in a month should not exceed 75. However, in pre- and post-Haj operations, pilots may be scheduled for extra hours not exceeding 34 hours weekly and 95 hours monthly, it was agreed.

Source: The News

[Abbas Ali]

Saudi Arabia to penalise airlines for Haj flight delay

By Syed Rashid Husain

10/7/2011

RIYADH: The Saudi Civil Aviation has warned airlines of penalties in the event of delay in Haj flights. The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) announced on Tuesday that fines of up to SR150,000 (Saudi Riyals) would be imposed for a delayed flight and the penalty would be doubled for delays exceeding 24 hours.

Airlines allowing flights to depart without obtaining a licence will be fined a minimum of SR30,000 (Saudi Riyals).

The fines are to be imposed from next week at both the King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah and Prince Muhammad Bin Abdul Aziz Airport in Madina.

Haj flights started arriving on Sept 29 and will continue until the end of October. The departure flights are supposed to start from Nov 10 and end on Dec 10.

According to GACA regulations, flights are not allowed to stay at the terminals of the two airports for more than two hours after arrival (before Haj).

Source: DAWN

[Zulfiqar]

http://www.dawn.com/2011/10/07/haj-flig ... orted.html
Haj flight hit by bird, aborted
By Mohammad Asghar | From the Newspaper


RAWALPINDI, Oct 6: A PIA Haj flight on Thursday had to land back at Benazir Bhutto International Airport after one of its engines was hit by a bird during take-off; resulting a delay of over six hours.

The Jeddah-bound Haj flight was taking off when the pilot of the Boeing 747 with 499 passengers on board noticed failure of engine No 3 due to the bird strike.

The plane landed back at the airport and the passengers were disembarked and shifted to the lounge.

Spokesman for the PIA, Syed Sultan Hassan told Dawn: “Bird hits cause a lot of loss to the airline because we have to spend a huge amount on making the aircraft fit for flight again. A total of 56 bird-related incidents have taken place so far this year.”

The bird strike also caused a bit of scare among the passengers on board the aircraft. However, no damage was reported.

It was not an emergency landing as the plane returned to the tarmac for safety, the spokesman said.

After special inspection, the aircraft was declared unfit for the flight. As a result, another plane was arranged which took off at around 11am.

[Abbas Ali]

A Hellenic Imperial Airways Boeing 747 was seen departing from Lahore Airport today (October 10). Probably a PIA Hajj flight to Jeddah or a domestic flight to Karachi.

Abbas

[Abbas Ali]

First Hajj Flight Leaves Sialkot

SIALKOT, OCTOBER 9, 2011 - PIA's first Hajj flight carrying 499 intending pilgrims on board took off from Sialkot International Airport for Jeddah on Sunday.

Senior officials of PIA and airport management saw the pilgrims off during a ceremony at the airport.

PIA will run a daily flight during its one-week Hajj operation from Sialkot Airport.

Source: DAWN (October 10, 2011, edition)


Photo Source: Aaj Kal (October 10, 2011, edition)

Abbas

[TAC777]

A total of 122 Hajj flights have been operated with 43,644 Hajis without any substantial delay or major technical or operational incident.

[EinsteinMux]

A total of 122 Hajj flights have been operated with 43,644 Hajis without any substantial delay or major technical or operational incident.

Finally, a good report.... we should appreciate airline staff for this