Airline Blunder: Passenger bound for Karachi lands in Jeddah

LAHORE: In a major blunder by a private airline, a passenger travelling from Lahore to Karachi accidentally landed in Jeddah, without a passport.

The Pakistan Airport Authority has taken notice of the incident and launched an inquiry.

The airport manager blamed the private airline for the error, calling it sheer “negligence” and “irresponsibility.”

 A formal request has been filed with the authority to take action against the airline.

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According to the passenger, he showed his boarding pass to the air steward, who guided him to his seat. He claimed he did not have a passport or a Saudi visa.

“Two hours into the flight, I asked the hostess when we would land in Karachi. That’s when the entire crew panicked and realised I was on the wrong flight,” the passenger said.

The airline administration clarified that the mix-up occurred due to an aircraft swap and ongoing construction at Lahore Airport, which led to both domestic and international flights operating from the domestic lounge after 10pm.

The airline stated that on July 8, flights to both Karachi and Jeddah were scheduled around the same time, and the passenger accidentally boarded the international flight meant for Jeddah instead of the Karachi-bound one.

Upon landing in Jeddah, Saudi authorities interrogated the man and later deported him back to Pakistan.