Jeddah instead of Karachi: Passenger sends legal notice to airlines

KARACHI – Shah Zain, the passenger mistakenly flown from Lahore to Jeddah instead of Karachi, has issued a legal notice to the private airline under the Sindh Consumer Protection Act 2014.

According to the notice, Shah Zain demanded a response from the airline along with reimbursement of all travel-related expenses.

He alleged that on July 7, 2025, due to gross negligence by the airline staff, he was wrongly flown to Saudi Arabia without proper travel documents, instead of his intended domestic destination, Karachi.

The notice further stated that upon arrival in Jeddah without a visa or passport for Saudi Arabia, the passenger was subjected to extensive questioning by Saudi immigration authorities, causing distress and inconvenience.

As a result of the airline’s error, Shah Zain was also forced to bear additional travel costs.

Previously, Shah Zain said that he had been staying in Lahore for business purposes and had booked a ticket on flight PF-144 to return to Karachi on July 7.

Read more: Airline mistakenly flies Karachi-bound passenger from Lahore to Jeddah without passport or visa

At Allama Iqbal International Airport, after receiving his boarding pass, he boarded a shuttle from Gate 13 to the runway where two aircrafts were parked close together. Due to poor visibility at night, he boarded the wrong plane along with other passengers.

Shah Zain became suspicious when the flight continued for over two hours without landing. Upon raising the issue with the cabin crew, they checked his boarding pass and realized the error.

However, the flight had already left Pakistani airspace, leaving no option but to land him in Jeddah. There, he was held for questioning by local authorities.

He was eventually flown back to Lahore the following day (July 8) on flight PF-717. After clearing formalities, he was rebooked on PF-146 to Karachi and reached his original destination two days late.

The incident has raised serious concerns over aviation security, boarding procedures, and airline accountability in Pakistan.