The passenger, identified as Malik Shah Zain, had intended to board a domestic flight from Lahore to Karachi. However, due to what he claims was a boarding error by the airline staff, he was issued a boarding pass for an international flight and ended up on a plane bound for Saudi Arabia.

In a video clip circulating online, Ahmed said he went to Lahore airport to board the Karachi-bound flight on July 8, but he “mistakenly” sat in the Jeddah-bound flight after collecting his boarding pass for the domestic flight.

“It was the airline staff’s mistake, but I was the one detained,” he stated.

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Upon arrival in Jeddah, Saudi authorities detained the passenger for entering the country without proper travel documentation. He was later released after clarification of the incident, which is now under investigation.

The incident has raised serious concerns about airport security and airline procedural lapses. Authorities are expected to take disciplinary action against those responsible for the negligence.

The Pakistan Airline Pilots’ Association (PAA) confirmed that senior officials have taken notice of the incident and formally addressed the issue with the civil aviation authority and the station manager.

PAA spokesperson Saifullah stated, “A letter has been sent to the civil aviation regulator, urging them to impose a substantial fine on the airline responsible for this serious lapse.”

However, the PAA statement did not clarify how the passenger managed to pass through immigration at Lahore airport and board the international flight to Jeddah without proper documentation.