Fine imposed on Turkish Airlines for violating SOPs

Published October 23, 2020
The government has imposed a fine of Rs100,000 on Turkish Airlines for violating standard operating procedures for prevention of Covid-19 on its flight. — Reuters/File
The government has imposed a fine of Rs100,000 on Turkish Airlines for violating standard operating procedures for prevention of Covid-19 on its flight. — Reuters/File

RAWALPINDI: The government has imposed a fine of Rs100,000 on Turkish Airlines for violating standard operating procedures (SOPs) for prevention of Covid-19 on its flight.

The airline has also been asked to bear the traveling expenses for transporting the passenger to Lahore along with the cost of testing and quarantine.

Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has directed Turkish airlines to submit a compliance report to CAA Karachi within one week after issuance of the letter. This is the second case of SOPs violation by an international airline while transporting passengers to Pakistan.

All airline operators, engaged in operation to and from Pakistan, have been advised to ensure strict compliance with the government’s directives, which state that travelers from Category-B countries shall be required to provide proof of negative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test conducted not more than 96 hours prior to the commencement of travel, failing which the airline shall not issue the boarding pass.

It has been noted with serious concern that Turkish Airlines transported passenger, Mohammad Ishfaq, from a Category-B country Mali to Istanbul for onward journey to Lahore on Oct 15 without proof of a negative RT-PCR test despite a warning issued by the CAA on Oct 13 to refrain from transport of such passengers, a statement issued by CAA read.

The Pakistani passenger has been left stranded at Istanbul airport since Oct 15, without any intimation to CAA, it added.

Pakistan’s ambassador in Turkey brought the matter to the authority’s attention following which, it imposed a penalty on Turkish Airlines; the airline has been directed to submit the amount in CAA’s collection account in Karachi.

The passenger shall be transported to Lahore while being seated in the last vacant row of the aircraft and will not be allowed to interact with other passengers during the flight, the letter stated.

Published in Dawn, October 23rd, 2020

Opinion

Editorial

Smog hazard
Updated 05 Nov, 2024

Smog hazard

The catastrophe unfolding in Lahore is a product of authorities’ repeated failure to recognise environmental impact of rapid urbanisation.
Monetary policy
05 Nov, 2024

Monetary policy

IN an aggressive move, the State Bank on Monday reduced its key policy rate by a hefty 250bps to 15pc. This is the...
Cultural power
05 Nov, 2024

Cultural power

AS vital modes of communication, art and culture have the power to overcome social and international barriers....
Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.