RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCCA) has imposed a Rs100,000 fine on Turkish Airlines for allowing on board two passengers without having proof of negative test of Covid-19.

A notification issued by the PCAA on Friday said that the Turkish Airlines had allowed passengers Abdul Sattar and Tariq Ali to travel on its flight TK-0584 from Istanbul to Lahore on Jan 13 without having proof of negative test of Covid-19.

It said the passengers were from Senegal, had started their journey from Dakar and took a connecting flight from Istanbul to Lahore without having a PCR test report issued at least 96 hours before travelling to Pakistan.

Senegal has been placed by the PCAA in “B” category which requires passengers from the African country arriving in Pakistan to get a PCR negative test report at least 96 hours before travelling to Pakistan.

The PCAA said that the Turkish Airlines had already been warned in October 2020 to restrain it from transporting passengers from category “B” destinations to Pakistan without having a negative test report.

China bans PIA flights

After 10 passengers who travelled to China from Islamabad on Wednesday tested positive for Covid-19, the Chinese authorities have imposed a three-week ban on Pakistan International Airlines flights.

A PIA spokesman said that the passengers were tested again by Chinese health authorities after their arrival in China though they had negative reports of test. He said it was not only the PIA, some other airlines had also been facing the same situation after their flights landed in China.

Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2021