CAA handles 91 relief flights

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) handled 91 flights, out of 235 flights, which arrived at Islamabad airport bringing in humanitarian aid from donor countries/agencies. Only five flights were diverted to different airports due to bad weather, which were called back to Islamabad after the weather was cleared.
According to CAA, immediately after the earthquake Islamabad airport was made focal point of CAA co-ordination as nearly all relief flights bringing passengers and rescue aid started arriving in Islamabad.
To meet the extra-ordinary developments, CAA adopted following measures to handle the situation:
A camp office of CAA was established at Islamabad airport manned by Director Operations and a co-ordination cell was activated at Air Transport Directorate in CAA headquarters to issue prompt clearance to all international flights bringing relief goods, passengers and rescue teams.
A co-ordination cell was also created at Islamabad airport to co-ordinate with army aviation, PAF, immigration authorities, ASF and all other agencies participating in relief operations and appropriate arrangements were also made at Lahore and Islamabad to accord priority to relief flights. All relief flights were exempted from landing and housing charges.
Additional fuel supply was co-ordinated with Attock Oil Refinery, PSO and Shell for availability of sufficient fuel for relief flights.
PIAC Chairman was requested that PIAC aircraft should arrive in Islamabad with maximum fuel to minimise the fuel uplift from Islamabad. This was complied by PIA. Co-ordination was made with foreign office and immigration, ASF, Army and PAF authorities for efficient relief operations.
Additional terminals were provided to immigration staff to enable them prompt clearance for issuance of visa on their arrival.
FIA Deputy Director was also requested to allocate additional manpower for this purpose. Adequate number of porters/ labourers was provided to sort baggage of relief teams for onward dispatch to affected areas.
A joint National Crisis Management and UN Co-ordination Cell was also set up at international arrival lounge to facilitate relief operations.
Besides these arrangements a special counter was provided in the international arrival lounge for British High Commission to facilitate passengers having Pakistani/ British nationality.