Pakistani man deported from Jeddah takes legal action against the airline
A Karachi resident mistakenly flown to Saudi
Arabia without a passport or visa has issued a legal notice to Air Sial,
accusing the private airline of "gross negligence" and demanding
compensation, his lawyer confirmed on Saturday.
Malik Shahzain Ahmed was scheduled to travel
from Lahore to Karachi on July 8 aboard Air Sial’s domestic flight PF-146.
However, due to what his counsel describes as a severe lapse in airline
procedures, he inadvertently boarded an international flight to Jeddah instead.
Upon arrival in Saudi Arabia, Ahmed was
detained by immigration authorities and later deported to Pakistan. According
to a legal notice sent to Air Sial’s chief executive, the incident resulted
from “gross dereliction of duty, reckless conduct, and operational failure” on
the airline’s part.
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“We have served the airline a legal notice. If
they do not respond or offer compensation, we will proceed with legal action,”
said Advocate Muhammad Nawaz Dahri, representing Ahmed.
The notice claims Ahmed was denied assistance,
suffered humiliation and distress, and endured significant mental trauma. It
also states he was forced to purchase a new ticket to return to Karachi.
Further allegations include violations of the
Sindh Consumer Protection Act, 2014, and breaches of Pakistan’s Civil Aviation
Rules (1994), the Pakistan Immigration Ordinance (1979), and international
conventions such as the Montreal Convention (1999). The notice accuses Air Sial
of failing to verify passenger identity and of making “misleading
representations regarding safety and professionalism.”
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“This failure to conduct even basic due
diligence endangered passenger safety and breached air travel regulations,” the
notice says.
The Pakistan Airport Authority (PAA)
acknowledged the incident and confirmed it has written to the Civil Aviation
Authority and the airline's station manager. PAA spokesperson Saifullah stated
that the regulator has been urged to impose a “heavy fine” on Air Sial for its
negligence.
In a widely circulated video, Ahmed recounted
the confusion: “I went to the Lahore airport to board my flight to Karachi.
After two hours in the air, I thought, ‘This plane doesn’t seem to be landing.’
That’s when I realized I was on the wrong flight.”
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The legal notice demands a written response
within two days and warns of further action, including the filing of a
constitutional petition and formal complaints to both aviation and human rights
authorities if the airline fails to respond.
As of now, Air Sial has not issued a public
statement regarding the incident.
Source: Arab News