RAWALPINDI: Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan has directed the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to constitute a taskforce to help facilitate passengers stranded at airports because of severe weather conditions.
The Minister on Thursday directed airport Chief Operating Officers, airport managers, terminal managers and duty terminal managers of various airports to interact with passengers whose flights have been delayed because of the weather in light of the prevailing fog situation in the country.
Airport, deputy airport and terminal managers should ensure that they are present in passenger lounges and boarding areas to monitor the situation and pre-empt anything untoward.
Mr. Khan also directed the CAA to ask all airport managers and COOs to form a taskforce and ensure they are available after working hours.
A senior officer, Deputy Airport Manager and terminal manager will head the teams, which should consist of all stakeholders including the Airport Security Force (ASF), airlines and ground handling representatives in order to handle delayed flights and passengers according to standard operating procedure.
Sources said the decision to form this taskforce was made at a top-level meeting in the capital on Thursday.
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) representatives briefed the meeting on flight delays and diversions to other airports due to the weather. They asked the CAA to improve navigation facilities at airports to avoid delays and diversions.
PIA spokesperson Abdul Hafeez told Dawn that PIA has made plans in advance to facilitate its passengers and avoid diversions despite lacking navigation facilities.
“We take maximum care of our passengers and facilitate them – especially those travellers who are unable to fly on time due to severe weather conditions,” he said, adding that weather conditions are considered extraordinary circumstances.
