PIA air transports three coronavirus infected bodies from Spain

LAHORE: Three bodies of Pakistani nationals, who lost their lives due to coronavirus in Spain, have been air transported in Lahore on Thursday.

According to the Pakistan International Airlines’ (PIA) spokesperson, the repatriated bodies were handed over to the heirs by Station Manager and Cargo Terminal Manager.

The PIA is carrying out relief flight operations under the designed SOPs in the wake of coronavirus, the spokesperson of the PIA said.

It may be noted that the government on Wednesday had allowed air transportation of coronavirus-infected bodies to bring back Pakistanis who died due to the virus abroad.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issued standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the purpose.

The SOPs would come into immediate effect with instructions

for all airline operators/authorised flight permission agents/charter operators/ground handlers to fully adhere to the guidelines during transportation of bodies, according to a notification put out by the authority.

PIA releases schedule for Saudi Arabia evacuation flights

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has released a schedule of special flights for Saudi Arabia to repatriate citizens stranded in the kingdom.

According to the schedule, the first flight will take off from Lahore on May 14 (today) for Riyadh to transport 250 countrymen.

The national flag-carrier will operate another special flights on May 16 for Medina to bring back 250 passengers. The flight will land at the Karachi airport.

Two more flights will be operated on May 18 and 21 from Faisalabad and Islamabad