PIA halts meal services on flights to Middle East countries

ISLAMABAD: As part of its preventive measures against the novel coronavirus, the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has suspended meal services on its flights to countries in the Middle East for the time being, ARY News reported.

According to details, the national flag carrier will only provide water and beverages, including soft drinks, juices, black/green tea and coffee to flyers. The move is aimed at ensuring strict adherence to social distancing protocols to combat the virus spread.

“As per Management’s Directive, Only beverage service (water, soft drinks, juices & Black/Green Tea & Coffee) for pax will be uplifted on all middle-east sector flights i.e. Pak-Middle-East-Pak, till further instruction,” read a letter issued by the airline.

However, it said, cockpit and cabin crew are excepted from the meal services ban.

Earlier, on May 8, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) had provided $100,000 worth of protection kits to PIA to safeguard its crew members operating special flights against the coronavirus.

The protection kits provided to the national flag carrier included gowns, masks and goggles.

The airline’s crew members operating special flights for repatriation of Pakistanis stranded in different countries due to suspension of international flights will use these kits to keep the deadly virus at bay.