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The Hindu
20 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Pakistani airline blunder sends passenger to Saudi Arabia instead of Karachi
In a bizarre airline blunder, a passenger from Lahore was flown to Saudi Arabia instead of Karachi and was deported back to Pakistan. The incident happened on July 7, 2025 with Malik Shahzain, an electrical engineer from Karachi, aboard an AirSial flight. A Civil Aviation Authority official said they are investigating the unusual incident. "A passenger boarding the wrong flight by mistake can happen, but we have never come across a case where a domestic passenger ended up on an international flight," the official said. India, Pakistan extend airspace ban for each other till July 24 According to Mr. Shahzain, he was returning to Karachi from Lahore on the night of July 7, 2025 after learning that his child had fallen ill. He arrived at the airport on time and presented his pre-booked boarding pass and was then directed to the lounge and the departure gate. "There were two AirSial aeroplanes on the tarmac, one headed to Karachi and the other to Jeddah. The staff, without checking properly, put me on the international flight, and I only realised this when, even after two hours of flying time, we did not land," Mr. Shahzain said. While the passenger landed in Jeddah, his luggage reached Karachi. At the Jeddah airport, Mr. Shahzain was questioned by immigration officials for hours before they realised that he landed there for no fault of him and directed the airline to put him on their next flight to Karachi. Shehbaz Sharif says Pakistan's nuclear programme is for 'peaceful activities and self-defence' However, the ordeal didn't end there, as the airline flew the passenger back to Lahore, informing him he would need to arrange his ticket to Karachi. 'I was informed about the illness of my son and decided to return home, as I had gone to Lahore on office work. Instead, I underwent a 15-hour ordeal where I ended up in Jeddah and had to endure hours of interrogation,' Mr. Shahzain said. Pakistan, Russia sign agreement to revive Pakistan Steel Mills project The engineer claims the airline staff accepted their mistake in putting him on the international flight from Lahore to Jeddah when he was supposed to fly from Lahore to Karachi. However, he is still awaiting a formal response and apology from the private airline. "So far, the airline has issued no explanation or apology for my ordeal,' Mr. Shahzain said. AirSial is a Pakistani private airline based in Sialkot.
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Express Tribune
Boarded flight for Karachi, but landed in Saudi Arabia
Air Karachi is modelled on after the success of Air Siyal of Sialkot. PHOTO: FILE In arguably one of the most bizarre cases in air travel history, a Karachi-bound passenger was mistakenly boarded onto a Jeddah-bound flight, resulting in a 15-hour ordeal that ended with questioning by Saudi authorities and a struggle to return home. Malik Shahzain, an electrical engineer and resident of Korangi, was returning to Karachi from Lahore on the night of July 7 after learning that his child had fallen ill. However, due to what he described as a "serious and irresponsible error" by ground staff at Lahore airport, he was instead flown to Jeddah aboard an AirSial flight. Speaking to The Express Tribune, Shahzain recalled how he arrived at the airport around 9pm and approached airline staff with his boarding pass for the Karachi-bound flight. At the time, two AirSial aircraft were parked on the tarmac — one scheduled for Karachi and the other for Jeddah — both reportedly departing at 10pm. "I handed over my boarding pass and was directed to the international departures gate. I was seated at window seat 17F without being informed I had boarded the wrong flight," he said. Two hours into the flight, Shahzain got concerned and asked a flight attendant when the plane would arrive in Karachi. To his shock, he was informed that the aircraft was en route to Jeddah. Panic ensued among the crew, who informed the captain about the situation. Upon arrival in Saudi Arabia, the airline staff tried to manage the incident discreetly but failed. Saudi customs and security officials boarded the aircraft and escorted Shahzain away for interrogation. "I was taken about 800 metres from the plane, questioned repeatedly, and even my water bottle was examined," he said. A Bengali-speaking member of the Saudi security team acted as a translator during the inquiry. After explaining the situation and presenting his documents, Shahzain was released when authorities accepted that the incident had occurred due to negligence on the part of the airline. He was placed on a return flight to Lahore with instructions for AirSial to ensure his safe arrival in Karachi. However, the trouble did not end there. "Upon reaching Lahore, I was told to arrange my own ticket to Karachi," he said. With only Rs15,000 in hand and the ticket priced at Rs23,000, he had to contact his factory's Karachi office to purchase the ticket on his behalf. Shahzain said that while his 11kg luggage was correctly sent to Karachi and received later, the airline had yet to issue an apology or accept responsibility. He stressed that his intention in sending a legal notice was not to demand financial compensation but to seek accountability. "This mistake could have had far worse consequences had it involved someone who couldn't explain themselves — perhaps an illiterate or poor traveller from a remote area," he said. "It's not just about embarrassment; such incidents damage the country's image." He called for proper training and accountability for airline staff, arguing that simply reprimanding those responsible is not enough.
Mint
2 days ago
- Mint
Pakistani man buys ticket to Karachi, wakes up in Saudi Arabia, sues Airline: 'blamed me for the mistake'
In a bizarre travel blunder that has sparked headlines in Pakistan, a domestic passenger bound for Karachi ended up in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, despite not carrying a passport or visa. The incident has raised serious questions about security and verification procedures at Lahore airport. The passenger, Shahzain, had booked a routine domestic flight from Lahore to Karachi with a private airline. But instead of landing in the southern Pakistani city, he found himself on international soil in Jeddah, without even realising he had boarded the wrong flight. 'Two planes were parked at the domestic terminal gate. I handed over my ticket, and no one stopped me. I only realised something was wrong two hours into the flight,' Shahzain told ARY News. According to him, airline staff failed to verify his boarding pass properly or notice the absence of international travel documents. 'When I asked why we hadn't reached Karachi, the crew panicked and blamed me for the mistake,' he said, adding that he was later informed it could take up to three days to arrange his return. Shahzain has now issued a legal notice to the airline, accusing it of gross negligence and demanding compensation for the ordeal, including travel costs and emotional distress. The legal fiasco has also caught the attention of Pakistan's airport authorities. According to reports, the Lahore Airport Management has held the airline accountable for the lapse and has submitted a formal request for disciplinary action. A senior airport official told ARY News, 'This is a clear case of negligence and carelessness on the airline's part. The passenger had no passport or visa. He should never have been allowed on an international flight.' The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is expected to conduct an inquiry into how a passenger without valid travel documents cleared boarding and ended up overseas. The airline has not yet issued an official statement.
Times of Oman
2 days ago
- Times of Oman
Pakistani airline sends passenger to Jeddah instead of Karachi
Karachi: A passenger has sent a legal notice to a private airline after being mistakenly flown from Lahore to Jeddah instead of Karachi, ARY News reported. Shahzain, the affected passenger, claims that despite showing his ticket to the air hostess, he was not informed that he had boarded the wrong flight. According to Shahzain, two planes were parked at the domestic terminal gate, and he was not aware of the mistake until it was too late. The passenger alleges that the airline's negligence caused him distress in Saudi Arabia, as per ARY News. In the legal notice, Shahzain demands that the airline cover the additional travel expenses he incurred and respond to the matter. He is seeking compensation for the inconvenience and trouble caused by the airline's alleged mistake. According to ARY News, the passenger confirmed he did not have a passport or visa for international travel. "Two hours into the flight, I questioned why the plane had not yet reached Karachi. This caused panic among the crew, who then blamed me for the mistake," he added. The passenger said that when he asked the airline to take him to Karachi, he was told it would take two to three days. "I was told that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) would conduct an inquiry to which I assured to cooperate," he added. The private airline has come under scrutiny after a passenger bound for Karachi from Lahore was mistakenly flown to Jeddah without a passport and a visa. The Pakistan Airport Authority had already taken notice of the incident, with the Lahore Airport Management holding the private airline responsible. The manager said that the passenger's arrival in Jeddah instead of Karachi was a result of the airline's 'negligence and carelessness'.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
No visa, no passport: Pakistani man lands in Jeddah instead of Karachi after boarding wrong flight
A passenger travelling from Lahore to Karachi was mistakenly flown to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, by a private airline despite not carrying a passport or visa, prompting him to issue a legal notice against the carrier. Pakistani man bound for Karachi mistakenly flown to Jeddah without passport.(Representational image/ AFP File) The passenger, Shahzain, has now sent a legal notice to the private airline, accusing it of negligence and seeking compensation for the ordeal, ARY News reported. According to Shahzain, he boarded the wrong aircraft after presenting his ticket to the crew. 'Two planes were parked at the domestic terminal gate, and I was unaware of the mistake until it was too late,' he said. He claimed that no airline staff informed him of the error despite checking his boarding pass. He only realised something was amiss two hours into the flight. 'I questioned why the plane had not yet reached Karachi. This caused panic among the crew, who then blamed me for the mistake,' he said, adding that he was later told it would take two to three days to arrange his return. 'I was told that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) would conduct an inquiry, to which I assured [them of] my cooperation,' he was quoted by ARY News as saying. The legal notice sent to the airline demands reimbursement for the unexpected travel costs and compensation for the distress caused. Shahzain maintains that the airline is responsible for failing to verify his documentation and for allowing him to board an international flight without travel papers. The incident has drawn the attention of the Pakistan Airport Authority, with the Lahore Airport Management reportedly holding the airline accountable. A senior airport official said the passenger's arrival in Jeddah was due to the airline's 'negligence and carelessness,' and that a formal request for action had been submitted to the relevant authorities, the report added. With ANI inputs
