Qatar Airways fined for violating COVID-19 SOPs in Pakistan

The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) has imposed a fine of Rs 100,000 on Qatar Airlines for violating the coronavirus (COVID-19) Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) during an international flight.

Aviation Division spokesman Abdul Sattar Khokhar in a press release said that the government had taken serious notice of the violation which had put the health and safety of passengers as well as personnel working at the airport at risk.

He informed that one of the passengers with a positive Covid-19 test had travelled on the Qatar Airways flight to Islamabad.

The authority in a statement said: “PCAA has taken serious notice of violation of SOPs on an international flight by Qatar Airlines which resulted in putting the health and safety of the passengers as well as personnel working at the Airport at risk”.

“The Airline shall also be responsible for all expenses incurred on the testing of COVID-19 and Quarantine, etc,” PCAA added.

PCAA has issued new SOPs for international passengers last month amid the rising cases of COVID-19, that will remain in effect to 31-12-2020.

As per new SOPs the requirement for vacant seats has been abolished. Passengers shall be required to install Pass Track App downloadable from the google play store and the apple store.

Meanwhile, passengers who do not possess a smart phone shall be required to enter their data on the passtrack.nitb.gov.pk/login website.

Furthermore, children under age 12, disabled passengers, and high-level International delegations referred by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be exempted from the App/ web data requirement.