Karachi:
In probably one of the most biting cases in air travel history, a Karachi-bound passenger was mistakenly aboard a Jeddah-bound flight, resulting in a 15-hour trial that ended up questioning Saudi authorities and a struggle to return home.
Malik Shahzain, an electric engineer and resident in Korangi, returned to Karachi from Lahore the night of July 7 after learning that his child had fallen ill. Because of what he described as a “serious and irresponsible error” by land staff at Lahore Airport, he was instead flown to Jeddah aboard an airy flight.
In a talk with Express Pakinomist, Shahzain remembered how he arrived at the airport around 1 p.m. 21 and approached the airline staff with his boarding pass for the Karachi-bound flight. At that time, two aircraft were parked on the tarmac – one planned for Karachi and the other for Jeddah – both allegedly gave up at 1 p.m. 22.00.
“I handed my boarding pass and was led to the International Departure Gate. I was sitting at Windows SEAT 17F without being informed that I was on board the wrong flight,” he said.
Two hours into the flight, Shahzain was worried and asked a flight when the plane would arrive in Karachi. To his shock he was informed that the plane was on its way to Jeddah.
Panic followed among the crew informing the captain of the situation. Upon arrival in Saudi Arabia, the airline staff tried to control the incident discreetly but failed. Saudi customs and security officials boarded the plane and escorted Shahzain away for interrogation.
“I was taken about 800 meters from the plane, asked repeatedly, and even my water bottle was examined,” he said. A Bengalg-speaking member of the Saudi security team served as a translator during the study.
After explaining the situation and presenting his documents, Shahzain was released when the authorities accepted that the incident had occurred due to negligence on the part of the airline. He was placed on a return flight to Lahore with instructions on Airsial to ensure his safe arrival in Karachi.
However, the problem did not end there. “When I reached Lahore, I was told to arrange my own ticket to Karachi,” he said.
With only RS15,000 in hand and the ticket to RS23,000, he had to contact his factory’s Karachi office to buy the ticket on his behalf.
Shahzain said that while his 11 kg of luggage was sent correctly to Karachi and received later, the airline had not yet issued an apology or assumed responsibility. He emphasized that his intention to send a legal notice was not to require financial compensation but to seek accountability.
“This mistake could have had far worse consequences if it had involved someone who couldn’t explain themselves – maybe an illiterate or bad traveler from a remote area,” he said. “It’s not just about embarrassment; such events damage the image of the country.”
He called for proper education and responsibility for airline staff and argues that it is not enough to reprimand those responsible.
