In order to facilitate and tap the huge traffic from southern Punjab, central Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, three direct flights from Madina to Peshawar, Lahore and Multan are in the pipeline, said Shahid Hussain, manager PIA Madina station told Pakistan Observer on Saturday. The Lahore and Multan flights to be started soon while direct flight from Madina to Peshawar would go in to operation after acquiring aircraft for this important flight. These three flight to Punjab Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province are expected to give a boost to revenue traffic of PIA from Medina station.Currently three flights in a week are operating from Medina to Pakistan; These are: Madina-Karachi; Medina-Karachi-Multan and Medina-Islamabad. Madina office became online from last year and since then the revenue has increased considerably.There was revenue of about 16 million Riyals when the Medina station was off line which enhanced to 20 million Riyal in 2011.Shahid further pointed out that the revenue of PIA’s Madina station was 20. 43 million last year whereas the revenue till October this year has enhanced to 22 million while the target for the year has been set at 26 million Riyal.
He said that from Madina some seven airlines operate and besides PIA these include Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Emirates, Gulf Air and Turkish Airline etc.Last year 11,992 passengers travelled to Pakistan by PIA from Madina and this year this number so far has increased to 13,068. Around 43,000 Hajis from Madina would travel via bus to Jeddah from where they will take their flights to Pakistan. The Hajis would be transported by Pakistan Hajj Mission in Saudi Arabia and we expect on time departures of Hujjaj by buses from Medina to Jeddah Hajj Terminal.PIA has, so far carried over 33,000 Hajis to Pakistan on board 79 Hajj flights while over 5,700 Hajis have travelled through PIA regular scheduled flights to Pakistan. The airline’s Post Hajj Operation is continuing with on time Departures from Jeddah to Pakistan.
