Thirteen Airlines including PIA operating from Jeddah Hajj terminal on post Hajj departures of Hajjis to different countries are facing six to eight hours of flight delays due to inherent infrastructure constraints at Jeddah Hajj terminal which is beyond the control of PIA. PIA Spokesman said here on Tuesday.
According to a detailed performance report (Saudi Ground Services- SGS : Daily Hajj flight Handling Report 1410Hijri/ 2011, Jeddah) at the Jeddah Hajj terminal; airlines from Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Middle Eastern countries have faced flight delays ranging from 2 to 11 hours.
Major Airlines operating just single flights have also experienced delays of 2 to 6 hours while PIA operates about 11 flights daily and the recorded average delay in departures is 5 hours, Indonesian Airline operates 8 flights per day and has experienced 5 hours delay, Turkish Airlines 4 flights have been facing average of 3 hours delay, Iranian Airlines 3 flights 9 to 11 hours delay.
PIA spokesman explained that Hujjaj on Hajj visa from Pakistan, on arrival at Jeddah Airport as per Saudi laws are taken over by the Moallims of their assigned Maktab who take custody of the traveling documents, personal belongings and their movement is restricted specifically according to the schedule laid out by the Moallims throughout the Hajj until departure from Jeddah.
He further said that for passengers Check-in and Baggage acceptance, immigration and security of 500 passengers at a time requires at least 6 to 8 hours. Repeatedly PIA has requested that returning Hujjaj may be brought to the airport for departure at least 8 hours before the departure time but they are being brought 2 to 3 hours before the flight since the passengers and their luggage arrive in separate vehicles, most of the time the luggage arrive very late and PIA flights cannot leave without completing the process.
Another cause of delays are fulfilling of immigration formalities and security checks. There are about 14 security checks at the terminal which takes almost 10 to 15 minutes per passenger to clear the immigration and security. Between 80,000 to 100,000 passengers have to clear the immigration and security process which results in congestion resulting in flight delays.
PIA had, in March 2011 conducted series of meetings with Saudi Airport Authorities and requested them for processing of Hajj flights on West Terminal(which is less congested), extension of Boarding lounges, establishment of security counters outside terminal building, increasing the number of counters for security checks, allowing individual processing through immigration instead of group processing because in group processing the whole group has to be complete in numbers otherwise the Saudi officials do not allow immigration and security clearance, which is the main reason for delays.
PIA on the first day of Post Hajj departure faced delay on PK 2502 to Islamabad, as about 100 passengers had not reported till the departure time, similarly on the second flight PK 2102 for Peshawar baggage of about 150 passengers arrived 2 hours after departure time. The delay of these 2 initial flights which was beyond the control of PIA proved detrimental for the subsequent flights and a rolling delay was set in for the remaining flights which the PIA is trying to overcome as soon as possible with the support of Saudi officials.
Besides, PIA is facilitating Hujjaj at the Jeddah Hajj terminal and a team of senior officials remain deputed 24 hours at the terminal to guide the Hujjaj. Electronic flight information display is installed at the check–in area where update information about flight departures is displayed. PIA employees working at Hajj terminal are distinguished wearing florescent jackets with large marking “ON PIA DUTY”, for assistance. Hujajj are also served meals at Hajj Terminal by PIA regularly. However, the displeasure on insufficient seating arrangement at Hajj terminal is beyond the control of PIA as facilities at the terminal are the responsibilities of the Local Civil Aviation –Jeddah. PIA spokesman concluded.
