PIA operates extra flights for Umra pilgrims

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PK777
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PIA operates extra flights for Umra pilgrims

Post by PK777 »

PIA operates extra flights for Umra pilgrims

By our correspondent

KARACHI: The Pakistan International Airlines operated 166 extra flights to Jeddah, besides 316 scheduled flights, aimed at carrying 130,000 Umra pilgrims from May 1 to October 31 this year.

According to a press release issued on Monday, PIA's entire capacity was judiciously allocated to all the domestic stations, which in turn distributed this to productive agents of their territories.

The PIA said the hallmark of this year's operation was the issuance of return advance boarding cards to Umra passengers, thus omitting the requirement of getting reconfirmation in Saudi Arabia.

The system worked extremely efficiently as returning passengers were saved from the inconvenience of queuing up at the PIA offices for hours to obtain reconfirmation.

This year, the PIA said, the entire operation was conducted smoothly, without compromising on standard of service. Concurrently, PIA offices in Saudi Arabia were also beefed up with additional workforce from Pakistan to meet any upsurge in workload.

Adequate aircraft capacity was deployed both ways to fully accommodate returning Umra load in line with advance boarding card issued to passengers in the peak Ramazan Umra period.

This year, there were no stranded passengers, unlike the thousands last year and the entire operation was handled absolutely trouble-free, it added.

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PK777
Registered Member
Posts: 3597
Joined: Fri Aug 06, 2004 11:29 am

Post by PK777 »

PIA says Umra operation a big success

KARACHI (November 08 2005): For carrying 130,000 Umra pilgrims, the PIA operated 166 extra flights to Jeddah, besides 316 scheduled flights from 1st May to 31st October, this year, which the national carrier claims to be a roaring success in the wake of advance issuance of boarding cards to its passengers.

According to a press release issued here on Monday, as a result of better planning, the management of pia anticipated Umra load for the entire period and based upon the expected number of Umra passengers, capacity from outside sources was leased to provide maximum convenience to intending pilgrims.

The release further said entire capacity of PIA's fleet was judiciously allocated to all domestic stations, which in turn distributed this to productive agents of their territories. The press release states that issuing return advance boarding cards to Umra passengers omitted the requirement of getting reconfirmation in Saudi Arabia and hence was the hallmark of this year's operation. The system worked extremely efficiently as returning passengers were saved from inconvenience of queuing up in PIA offices for hours on end to obtain reconfirmation.

This year, unlike the last, the entire operation was conducted smoothly, without compromising on standard of service. Concurrently, pia offices in Saudi Arabia were also beefed up with additional work force from Pakistan to cater for any upsurge in workload. Adequate aircraft capacity was deployed both ways to fully accommodate returning Umra loads in line with advance boarding card issued to passengers in the peak Ramazan Umra period, the release added. Because of all that planning there were no stranded passengers, unlike the thousands last year. pia handled the entire Umra operation absolutely trouble free, the release concluded.


Copyright Business Recorder, 2005
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