JEDDAH: Hundreds of Hajj pilgrims faced severe difficulties at Jeddah Airport due to a reported technical failure in a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight, which was delayed for around 17 hours before departure.
According to details, PIA flight PK-860, operating from Jeddah to Karachi, was carrying 393 pilgrims on a Boeing 777 aircraft when its air-conditioning system reportedly malfunctioned shortly after boarding. The passengers, already waiting for over 15 hours at the airport, were forced to endure extreme heat and discomfort inside the aircraft, leading to strong protests onboard.
Sources claimed that the aircraft had been parked in a maintenance hangar for the past month and was sent to Jeddah without a full test flight or complete technical re-check by the engineering team.
As the situation worsened inside the aircraft, the PIA captain instructed that the passengers be moved back to the airport lounge. The pilgrims were subsequently deboarded amid growing frustration.
After engineering teams addressed the technical issue, the flight eventually departed for Karachi following a delay of approximately 17 hours.
A PIA spokesperson expressed regret over the inconvenience caused to the passengers. He stated that engineers were immediately dispatched after the fault was reported and that the issue was resolved before the aircraft was cleared for departure. The airline added that its CEO and engineering management remained engaged in resolving the matter promptly.
