Pak plane turned away for want of proper flight plan

Lahore/New Delhi, Aug 16 (PTI) A Pakistan InternationalAirlines (PIA) aircraft was today turned away before it couldenter the Indian airspace as the airline "did not inform" theaviation authorities about a change in its flight plan. The Kuala Lumpur-bound PIA flight from Peshawar had tobe re-routed to Lahore over "take-off weight issues" requiringthe airline to submit the changed flight plan to the Indianauthorities which it did not, government sources said. When flight PK 894 was about to enter the Indianairspace, the commander was informed that the air trafficauthorities here had not received the revised schedule. Theflight was later allowed to overfly the Indian airspace afterthe Indian authorities received the revised plan. The flightlater landed in Lahore with reportedly around 250 passengers. A PIA spokesperson tweeted that "PK894 was re-routed due2 weight restrictions at Peshawar airport. There was noresistance from any quarter". "Due restrictions of take-off weight from Peshawar, PK894 this evening was re-routed to operate via Lahore forKualalampur," a statement posted on his Twitter handle said. "The re-routing was done well in advance and allconcerned had been duly informed. There was no resistance fromany quarter, whether local or international for landing atLahore. "After refueling the flight has already departed forKualalampur. Such re-routings are an accepted feature incommercial aviation," the statement said. There were reports in the Pakistani media that theaircraft was not allowed to enter the Indian airspace withoutassigning any reason. PTI IAS RAM SKSK