Pakistan International Airlines is not alone or one and only in the World when we talk about taking the passengers as granted and taking least care but it definitely has company in the comity of airlines and Saudi Airlines has proved this on 06 June 2024.
Saudi Air’s emergency landing at Masqat remained a mystery for 12 long hours adding to the concerns of the families of the passengers. The flight 3723 took off from Islamabad Airport at 10-40 AM for Jeddah to land at 3-30 PM but it was vanished in between for at least 12 long and painful hours for the passengers as well as for their relatives who could not find out where the flight gone if not reached the destination.
In between, the flight had an emergency landing at Masqat , Oman. Certainly it was before 3-30 PM but the airline did not bother to share it with the authorities in Islamabad or to media for the knowledge of general public.
The relatives of the pilgrims remained in a state of pain through long hours till 11 PM night when the pilgrims were provided WiFi and it was only then that they could call their families to inform them about there whereabouts.
At about 10 PM, the administration of Saudi Air was getting visas for the travelers to let them stay in Masqat for night and leave for Jeddah next day on 07 June.
The authorities of Saudi Air shared with the passengers that it was a technical fault that forced the pilot for emergency landing at Masqat. No other detail was shared with the passenger for hours. They were left to wander at the airport with no care or relief during these long hours.
In the meanwhile, the families behind were in a fix that weather the plane is crashed or kidnapped because no one was sharing any information to them, neither the airline nor Islamabad airport authorities and most probably the local authorities in Masqat were also asked not to share any information regarding the flight till they are let to from Saudi officials.
The members of the families of the travelers were calling to the media persons to help them get any information. They have condemned the irresponsible handling of the situation by the Saudi Air and seek inquiry against them.
If Saudi Air officials have anything to share in this regard, they are most welcome. We were definitely not in a position to collect their side of story for the reason explained above that they are not reachable.
Tazeen Akhtar
