Airlines Reach Out to Quake VictimsPIA will issue return boarding cards to Umrah pilgrims during the last 10 days of Ramadan in a bid to ease the heavy rush of returning passengers. "Umrah passengers will lose the validity of their tickets and boarding passes if they don't take their specified return flights. Such defaulters will have to purchase new tickets for their future return journey," the PIA stated.
All PIA offices across the Kingdom will remain open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. during the last 10 days of Ramadan. The airline is also opening an extra counter at the Haj Terminal. It is extending its Karachi office facilities here from Oct. 28 to provide additional booking facilities to passengers.
JEDDAH, 21 October 2005: Airlines are offering special facilities for reaching out to the victims of the earthquake in Pakistan.
Saudi Arabian Airlines, PIA, Gulf Air, and Emirates are among the airlines shipping large quantities of essential supplies to help the people in Pakistan hit by the massive earthquake on Oct. 8. A Saudi Arabian Airlines cargo plane reached Islamabad yesterday carrying 10th shipment of consignments from the Kingdom for the quake victims of Mansehra in northern Pakistan. Khaled Al-Shahran representing the Ministry of Finance said the consignment included 70 tons of cargo, which included tents and more than ready-to-distribute meals. Also, yesterday, a Saudi Air Force plane landed in Pakistan carrying medical equipments for the Saudi mobile hospital in Mansehra. A Saudi Red Crescent representative, Othman Abdullah, said the plane also carrying medicines and relief materials.
Pakistan's national carrier has been operating special flights to dispatch consignments. "PIA is dispatching all relief goods free of cost. Priority is being given to tents, blankets and medicines because of their heavy demand," a PIA official said.
Gulf Air has announced that it is actively contributing to the rescue and rehabilitation effort in the earthquake-affected areas of Pakistan. Gulf Air has been shipping thousands of blankets and clothes to Pakistan.
Gulf Air Cargo is also offering free of charge transportation of relief goods from any of its points in its network to all the affected parts in Pakistan.
"Gulf Air is offering this service to all diplomatic missions, non-government organizations, and socio-religious associations who wish to contribute essential commodities to the affected region in Pakistan," the executive added.
Till date Gulf Air Cargo has flown into Pakistan more than 50 tons of relief goods."We were overwhelmed by the amount of relief cargo that has been offered by various sources. We're flying it to critical parts of Pakistan where it is needed the most," said Gulf Air Vice President Business Units Ali Murtada.
"Gulf Air would like to show solidarity with the people affected by this great tragedy by contributing to the cause by handling a part of the logistics of getting the relief cargo to Pakistan. It is at these times of need that we need to come together and contribute to a common cause," said Gulf Air President and Chief Executive James Hogan.
Meanwhile, PIA will issue return boarding cards to Umrah pilgrims during the last 10 days of Ramadan in a bid to ease the heavy rush of returning passengers. "Umrah passengers will lose the validity of their tickets and boarding passes if they don't take their specified return flights. Such defaulters will have to purchase new tickets for their future return journey," the PIA stated.
All PIA offices across the Kingdom will remain open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. during the last 10 days of Ramadan. The airline is also opening an extra counter at the Haj Terminal. It is extending its Karachi office facilities here from Oct. 28 to provide additional booking facilities to passengers.
Source: Arab News
