Special flydubai flight departs with stranded Pakistanis

A special flydubai flight has departed to Islamabad with 101 passengers including 78 Pakistanis who were stuck at Dubai International from the last two days due to suspension of flight to Pakistan, Khaleej Times has learnt.

"We have received special permission from the UAE and Pakistani authorities to operate this special flight to Islamabad," Shahid Mughal, regional manager for UAE at Pakistan International Airlines, told Khaleej Times.

To a question, he said these passengers arrived Dubai and Abu Dhabi from different PIA flight after the flight operations were suspended by Pakistan on Saturday.

"We have facilitated these stranded Pakistanis and coordinate efforts with local authorities and flydubai officials. The flight departed at 11.20pm to Islamabad," Mughal said.

Ahmed Amjad Ali, consul-general of Pakistan in Dubai, said the consulate made hectic efforts to ensure smooth returns of the stranded Pakistanis at Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports.

"We provided best facilities to the Pakistani passengers stuck at the UAE airports. The special flight included 73 passengers from Dubai and 5 from Abu Dhabi while 26 passengers belong to flydubai," he said.

"We really appreciate the help and cooperation of the UAE authorities and senior officials of Emirates airline and flydubai to help stranded passengers at the airport," said the consul-general, who personally supervised all operation at the airport.

"We provided hotel facility to families with kids and senior citizens while ensure food and blankets to those who were stuck at the airport," he added.

"We deputed two senior officials to facilitate these Pakistanis and coordinate local authorities to expedite the process for their smooth return to the country," he said.