No passport, wrong flight: Pakistani passenger mistakenly flies to Saudi Arabia

In a shocking turn of events, a Pakistani man scheduled to fly from Lahore to Karachi ended up in Saudi Arabia after mistakenly boarding a flight to Jeddah, according to media reports.

The incident has prompted serious concerns about airline procedures and airport immigration checks.

The traveller, identified as Malik Shahzain Ahmed, was flying via the private airline Air Sial. He reportedly boarded the wrong aircraft on July 8 from Lahore airport. In a video statement, Ahmed said he only realised the mistake two hours into the journey when it became clear the flight was headed overseas.

"I asked myself, ‘This plane doesn’t seem to be landing soon.’ That’s when I realised I had boarded the wrong plane,” he said in the video.

To make matters worse, Ahmed was not carrying a passport during the international flight. Upon landing at Jeddah Airport, Saudi immigration authorities briefly detained and questioned him before deporting him back to Lahore after the misunderstanding was clarified.

Ahmed claimed that the airline had since refused to arrange onward travel to Karachi, allegedly asking him to purchase a new ticket despite the error.

The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) confirmed the incident and has held the airline responsible for the security lapse. In a statement, PAA spokesperson Saifullah said that higher officials had taken notice and written to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), urging them to impose a “heavy fine” on the airline for its negligence.

Despite repeated questions, authorities have yet to explain how Ahmed managed to clear immigration and board an international flight without valid travel documents.

The PAA has promised to review and strengthen its protocols to prevent such incidents in the future. The case has sparked widespread criticism of airport and airline procedures, particularly around passenger verification and immigration checks.

Ahmed’s case is now being cited as a serious example of systemic failure that could have had far graver consequences had Saudi authorities not handled the situation calmly.