The state carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has so far flown over 60,000 pilgrims to Jeddah and Medina in Saudi Arabia for the annual Haj pilgrimage by operating about 150 flights from different cities.

 The PIA has made arrangements for carrying 64,026 intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia on the instruction of the Ministry of Religious Affairs. However, some 2,824 passengers did not report for travel resulting in unoccupied seats equaling five aircraft passenger loads on scheduled flights. The airline has expressed inability to carry the left-over intending pilgrims at a later stage because of limited landing slots’ permission from the Saudi Civil Aviation.