Passenger caught smoking on-board PIA flight

KARACHI: A passenger of a Pakistan International Airline (PIA) Islamabad-bound flight was caught smoking in the aircraft toilet by the cabin crew, ARY News reported on Monday.

According to PIA spokesperson, a strong odour of cigarette smoke came from the toilet on board PIA flight PK-792, going from Birmingham to Islamabad.

The cabin crew stopped the passenger, named Raza Hussain, from smoking and told him about the policy that bans smoking in planes. The PIA administration confiscated his passport for violating international rules.

However, the passport of the passenger was returned to him later on after he paid fine of Rs10,000.

A similar incident was reported in 2017 when Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) CEO taking action directed authorities to blacklist passengers who were involved in smoking and assaulting cabin crew on a Birmingham-bound flight Pk-791.

The accused passengers were not only smoking on the flight but had also assaulted the cabin crew.

The attendant informed the pilot about the incident, who alerted British police. The police arrested one of the men after the flight landed at Birmingham airport.