PIA air hostesses engage in fight at Jeddah Airport

Jeddah: Two air hostesses of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) were involved in a physical altercation at Jeddah airport, prompting action from the airline administration.

According to reports, the incident occurred on December 23 at the Jeddah International Airport departure lounge, where a PIA flight was scheduled to depart for Multan. A video of the altercation between the two flight attendants later went viral on social media.

Witnesses said a heated verbal argument between the air hostesses escalated into a physical fight. The reason behind the dispute has not yet been disclosed. A PIA official intervened and separated the two.

Confirming the incident, a PIA spokesperson said the airline administration took strict notice of the matter and suspended both air hostesses. An inquiry has been launched to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

PIA authorities stated that disciplinary action would be taken following the completion of the investigation.

Notably, the Arif Habib Consortium has officially acquired PIA, winning the privatisation bid with an offer of Rs135 billion, ARY News reported.

The consortium purchased 75 percent of the national carrier’s shares, surpassing its closest competitor, the Lucky Consortium, whose final bid stood at Rs134 billion.

Officials said that under the terms of the deal, the government will receive Rs10.2 billion in cash immediately. This privatization marks the first major large-scale privatization in Pakistan in the last two decades and is expected to save taxpayers around Rs35 billion annually in subsidies and operational costs.

The acquisition of PIA is part of the government’s ongoing economic reform agenda aimed at restructuring loss-making state-owned enterprises and improving operational efficiency. Analysts say the privatization is a significant milestone, signaling renewed confidence in Pakistan’s investment climate.