The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has made abrupt changes to the schedule of eight flights in the wake of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's visit to Benazir Bhutto International Airport (BBIAP), Islamabad, on May 18.
The Prime Minister is expected to inaugurate some newly renovated facilities at the old airport. However, experts have questioned the spending of huge amount on an airport which is going to shut down next year.
According to a notification issued by Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the PM will visit BBIAP on May 18 during 10am to 12pm. The CAA has therefore readjusted the schedule of eight flights in order to "ensure smooth operation".
The flights which have been rescheduled are as under:
Pk-785 that was to depart for London at 1045 has been rescheduled to leave at 1015. Similarly, flight number I6-104 from Karachi, which was scheduled to arrive at Islamabad at 1030 and to depart for Karachi at 1145, has been proposed to arrive at 1230 and depart at 1330. Flight number Pk-564/565 from Sukkur was scheduled to arrive at 1030 and depart for Sukkur at 1230 but it has been proposed to arrive at 1200 and depart at 1400.
Pk-380/381 from Multan was scheduled to arrive at 1100 and depart at 1145 but it has been rescheduled to arrive at 1230 and depart at 1330. Pk-352 that was scheduled to arrive at 1115 from Quetta and depart at 1300 has been proposed to arrive at 1215.
The Pk-363 scheduled to depart for Quetta at 1220 has been proposed to depart at 1420. The flight number Sv-726 was scheduled to arrive at 1130 from Jeddah and depart at 1330. Now it has been rescheduled to arrive at 1230 and depart at 1430. The flight number Pk-211 was scheduled to leave for Dubai at 1420 but it has been rescheduled to depart at 1440.
The notification stated that the flights scheduled to land at BBIAP Islamabad at or before 0900 hours with special reference to PK-702 schedule ETA 0902 hours are to operate on approved timings.
"The airline operator is to ensure clearance of flights including handling of baggage within one hour of the landing of a flight," stated the notification, adding that the flights scheduled to depart at or before 1030 hours might continue to operate on approved flight timings.
This whole practice of the CAA is against the suggestions of The Grievance Commissioner Cell (GCC) of the Federal Ombudsman Secretariat with regards to improvements in the affairs of the national airline to facilitate overseas Pakistanis.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2015

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