The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has scheduled 23 flights, from April 18 to 20, to repatriate stranded Pakistanis from all over the world, including the UK, Algeria, China, Dubai.
The special flights will operate from Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar, and Faisalabad, although the operations of international flights have not been restored fully.
The aviation division’s spokesperson said that there is limited facility of quarantine for repatriating passengers at Islamabad airport, that’s why flights have been scheduled for other major cities, where enough facilities are available.
To ensure safety of passengers and crew for international flights, the CAA has already issued its reviewed SOPs, so that the risks associated with Covid-19in can be minimized. All the boarding passengers will be quarantined for a minimum of seven days upon arrival in Pakistan and on the basis of their COVID-19 results, the period could be extended to 14 days.
The PIA schedule is;
- April 18 – three flights are scheduled to be operated, one from Islamabad to London’s Heathrow airport, one for Manchester, and one from Lahore for Dubai.
- April 19 – Four flights will be operated, two will arrive at Jinnah International Airport, Karachi one at Multan airport and one at Faisalabad airport, all from Dubai. Another flight will also fly to Dubai from Islamabad.
- April 20 – Three flights will depart to UAE, one from Lahore, one from Multan, and another from Karachi.
- April 21 – a flight PK-895 will be operated for Kuala Lumpur from Lahore.
No flights from Karachi to the UK.
Qatar Airways will also be operated to bring stranded Pakistanis – Islamabad to Manchester has been scheduled for April 24-27; Islamabad to London are set for April 21-23; Lahore to Manchester on April 26; and Lahore to London flights will be operated between April 22 to 24.
