PIA flight declares emergency after 'burning smell' detected

KARACHI: Reports of a burning smell in the food storage area of a Pakistan International Airline (PIA) flight from Dubai to Islamabad prompted the plane to be halted at Dubai Airport for an extended period, ARY News reported on Saturday.

An emergency was declared due to the reported smoke, leading to the deployment of necessary arrangements such as fire brigade and ambulances at Dubai airport.

After a thorough check by the crew, the plane was eventually cleared for departure to Islamabad.

The PIA spokesperson confirmed the in-flight smoke detection and the subsequent delayed departure of the flight.

It is pertinent to mention here that PIA kicked off post-Hajj flight operations from May 9  and will continue till June 10, 2024.

According to the spokesperson, PIA will operate direct flights this year to Jeddah and Madina from eight cities in Pakistan including Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Multan, Quetta, Sialkot, and Sukkur.

Announcing the Hajj flight operation, the PIA spokesperson asserted that the national airline will facilitate around 34,000 pilgrims, through 170 flights, from May 09 till June 10, 2024.

The national airline spokesperson confirmed that a total of 19,000 pilgrims from the government scheme and 15,000 private pilgrims will travel through the PIA.

However, the pilgrims specifically traveling from Karachi or Islamabad can avail of the facility of Saudi immigration at the airport under the Road to Mecca Project’s operations, which will save the hassle of long queues for immigration in Jeddah or Madinah.

The spokesman added that pilgrims should register their mobile numbers while booking their tickets to receive timely information about their flights.