PIA has so far operated 87 flights from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan, bringing back about 33,000 Hujjaj on the eighth day of the post Hajj operation, said a spokesman of the airline, here on Thursday. PIA has operated 18 flights to Karachi carrying 7,777 Hujjaj, 18 flights to Lahore carrying 8,920 pilgrims, 17 to Islamabad carrying 8,161, 20 to Peshawar carrying 5,080 and 14 flights to Quetta bringing back 2,867 Hujjaj.
He further said that the airline's post Hajj flight to Sialkot will commence from 18th November. The flight, PK 2218, will depart from Jeddah Hajj terminal at 11:20 PM (Jeddah Time) with 499 Hujjaj. PIA has also added one more Boeing 747 aircraft in the operation, now with a total of eight dedicated aircraft for the purpose. The flight schedule is expected to normalise by November 19, 2011 with the reduction in congestion at Jeddah Hajj Terminal, the spokesman concluded.-PR