Inbound int'l flights increased after improvement in Covid situation: NCOC
- By Jahangir Khan -
- Jul 02, 2021
ISLAMABAD: The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has said that the number of inbound international flights was increased after recording improvement in COVID-19 situation in the country, ARY News reported on Friday.
The NCOC said in a statement that the cancellation of flights by some foreign airlines has created difficulties for passengers which led the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to issue warning to the air carriers.
According to the centre, the number of inbound passengers was increased up to 8,000 on a daily basis from 4,000 from June 15. Following the betterment in Covid situation, the authorities allowed increasing flights from Britain, Europe, Canada, China and Malaysia up to 40 per cent.
READ: TWO INT’L AIRLINES CANCEL US-PAKISTAN FLIGHTS AFTER CAA ADVISORY
Moreover, the NCOC established a comprehensive system for curbing the import of novel coronavirus by rapid testing and quarantine of the inbound passengers arriving in from different countries.
Pakistan has conducted coronavirus tests of 280,000 passengers so far besides the detection of 600 positive cases among the travellers who were immediately quarantined.
It was learnt that the airlines were expecting relaxation from Pakistan about the number of onboard passengers, but after the latest CAA travel advisory, both the airlines suddenly cancelled their scheduled flights.
READ: PAKISTAN ISSUES TRAVEL ADVISORY FOR INT’L INBOUND FLIGHTS
Reacting to the situation, the spokespersons of the CAA, said that both the airlines did overbooking on the Pakistan-bound flights.
It is to be noted that the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) had issued a travel advisory on Wednesday for international flights amid the coronavirus pandemic, stating that only 20 flights would be operated in Pakistan till July 15.
The aviation authority had stated in its order that 80 per cent of inbound international flights would be banned except the operations up to 20 per cent in accordance with the Summer 2021 schedule.