Latest news with #Airblue
Express Tribune
08-04-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
When will the Hajj operation begin from Jinnah International Airport?
Listen to article The schedule for the Hajj 2025 flight operation from Karachi's Jinnah International Airport has been announced. The Hajj operation from Jinnah International Airport is set to begin on April 29, 2025, with Serene Air flight number 1611 departing for Madina at 10:15pm, carrying 285 pilgrims to the holy land. Several other key flights have also been scheduled as part of the Hajj operation. Airblue's first Hajj flight (PA1766) will depart on April 30, 2025, at 3:40 AM, carrying 148 pilgrims. Saudi Airlines' first Hajj flight (flight number 3701) is scheduled to leave for Madina on May 1, 2025, at 9:15 AM with 365 pilgrims on board. Meanwhile, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will launch its first Hajj flight (PK-743) on May 2, 2025, at 5:55 AM, carrying 393 pilgrims. All initial flights will land at Madina Airport, but starting May 14, 2025, most Hajj flights will depart for Jeddah Airport, although some flights to Madina will still continue. The Deputy Director of Hajj stated that the Hajj Directorate in Karachi, along with relevant institutions, is fully prepared to ensure a respectful and smooth departure for the pilgrims. Authorities are committed to providing all possible facilities to the pilgrims. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has temporarily suspended the issuance of short-term visas for citizens of 14 countries, including Pakistan, effective April 13, as part of measures to manage travel flows ahead of the Hajj season, according to Gulf News. The ban applies to single- and multiple-entry business visit visas, e-tourist visas, and family visit visas. Affected countries include India, Egypt, Pakistan, Yemen, Tunisia, Morocco, Jordan, Nigeria, Algeria, Indonesia, Iraq, Sudan, Bangladesh, and Libya. Travellers from these nations who already hold valid short-term visas will be allowed to enter the Kingdom until April 13, but must leave no later than April 29.
Express Tribune
05-04-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
European Civil Aviation team to train Pakistan airport staff for first time
Civil Aviation Authority is not conducting the privatisation transaction to hand over three international airports. PHOTO: FILE Listen to article A European Civil Aviation team is scheduled to visit Pakistan next week to provide, for the first time, specialised security training and certification to airport regulators, according to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The two-member team, dispatched on the directive of the European Union, will train aviation security personnel at Islamabad Airport, Express News reported. The sessions will focus on meeting international standards, particularly in the areas of Explosives Trace Detection (ETD) and Explosive Detection Dogs (EDD). A CAA spokesperson confirmed the initiative aims to align Pakistan's aviation security protocols with globally recognised benchmarks, enhancing overall airport safety. 'This is a significant milestone in our efforts to bring aviation security in Pakistan up to international standards,' the spokesperson said. Last year, the European Commission and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) officially lifted the suspension on PIA and granted authorisation for Airblue to operate flights to Europe, marking a significant milestone for Pakistan's aviation sector. This development restores direct air links between Pakistan and European destinations, following a ban that had been in place since 2020. Aviation Minister Khawaja Asif confirmed the news, stating that the lifting of the suspension and the new authorisation for Airblue was made possible due to focused efforts by the Ministry of Aviation to strengthen the Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) and improve safety oversight in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards.
Khaleej Times
11-02-2025
- Health
- Khaleej Times
Saudi travel: Polio vaccine mandatory for passengers flying from Pakistan for Umrah
Passengers travelling from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia have been advised to get the polio vaccine and get the certificate stamped from a government or private hospital. This new decision will apply to passengers travelling to the Kingdom on Umrah, as well as visit/tourist and business visas. Pakistan's private carrier Airblue said Iqama holders and Saudi nationals are exempted from this condition when they enter the Gulf country. 'Passengers are required to receive either an IPV (Inactivated Polio Vaccine) dose within the last 12 months or an OPV (Oral Polio Vaccine) dose within the last six months, both at least four weeks before arriving in Saudi Arabia,' the airline said on social media platform X. This is in effect from February 10, 2025. Over the past couple of days, hundreds of Umrah pilgrims were offloaded from the aircraft at Lahore' Allama Iqbal International Airport for not being vaccinated with the polio vaccine. Millions of Pakistanis travel to Saudi Arabia annually for the pilgrimage through different carriers. Now, they will have to make preparations well in advance to ensure that they're compliant with the new vaccine regulation. scraping the meningitis vaccine requirement for Umrah travellers.
Express Tribune
04-02-2025
- Express Tribune
Govt's help sought for release of drug suspect
HARIPUR: The family of a Haripur-based woman, who was accused of travelling to Saudi Arabia under the guise of a free Umrah package, has appealed to the federal government for her release, claiming she was used as a drug carrier. Muhammad Ishaq, in a video message, explained that his wife (N) was deceived into becoming involved in a drug trafficking case under the pretence of a free Umrah trip. He claimed that neither his wife nor any member of their family had any involvement in drug smuggling, requesting that the Pakistani government intervene and contact the Saudi authorities to secure the release of his wife and her brother. Muhammad Ishaq, who is a WAPDA employee from the Sabra City Colony area and works at the Tarbela Dam, shared the details of the incident. He stated that his wife was introduced to a free Umrah package through his friend Zulfiqar Khokhar and a person named Tahir Hassan. According to Ishaq, Khokhar had previously arranged a similar Umrah package for another individual. On January 19, 2025, as they were departing from Islamabad Airport, Khokhar accompanied them up to the Chach Interchange. During this time, a call came from Tahir Hassan, who instructed Khokhar to tell Ishaq's wife that someone would meet her at the airport with a six-kilogramme packet of dried fruit. She was told to deliver it to Jeddah, where a friend would pick it up, and she was instructed not to open the package. Ishaq's wife completed her boarding process and flew to Jeddah via Airblue. However, six or seven days later, she contacted her husband to inform him that she had been arrested by Saudi police for drug smuggling, as the packet of dried fruit contained numerous capsules filled with drugs. Additionally, her brother, who had been waiting for her at the Jeddah Airport, was also arrested by the authorities. Ishaq appealed to the Pakistani government to assist his family members, as other innocent families have been brought back to Pakistan, and he hopes the same assistance will be extended to his family.
