National flight reservation system disrupted

[Abbas Ali]

By Baqir Sajjad Syed

ISLAMABAD, Nov 11: The national flight reservation system came to a grinding halt after being hit by the worst -ever breakdown in the country’s aviation history, disrupting the airlines’ operations.

Officials said that the system was restored on Saturday night after a 20-hour suspension, which was caused after a fire broke out in Karachi offices of SITA, (www.sita.aero) the IT company that provided services to all foreign and domestic airlines operating here. Officials attributed a fault in the power system for the fire.

According to SITA, it provides the air transport industry with the information and communications technology , enabling to operate ‘seamlessly’ around the world. It is being feared that financial losses incurred by the airline industry could be massive, but no estimates were immediately available.

Pakistan International Airlines being the national flag carrier was the worst hit, although the breakdown had also impacted the operations of other airlines including British Airways, Emirates, Gulf Airways, Qatar Airways and Air Blue.

More than 10,000 people travel daily by air in the country. Passengers, who had booked their seats, faced great inconvenience at airports and some of them were turned back as airlines’ shifted to manual operations for check-in.

Mr Ahsan of SITA said that the bookings and departures of all airlines were affected. “We had informed the airlines promptly," he added.

"The impact was felt all over the country because Karachi is the hub of all segments," he said.

A Civil Aviation Authority official at Islamabad International Airport said the breakdown had caused a serious problems at check-in counters and most flights were delayed.

Meanwhile, PIA’s Senior Vice-President of the IT department Nadeem Ikram said the airline would take up the matter with SITA.

"The loss we may have suffered may be insignificant, but what is more important for us is that our reputation has been damaged. Passengers seldom realise that we have got little to do with the fault," he said.

Source: DAWN