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CAA plans to restart porter service

SAEED AKHTAR BALOCH

LAHORE: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) plans to restart porter service shortly at all the airports of the country, Business Recorder reliably learnt. This time the proposed porter service would be provided by the CAA and without any involvement of contractors. The pros and cons of the proposed service are being discussed at the higher level.

The incoming international passengers would be provided this porter service only on their request. However, the passengers would be able to hire the service only after getting their luggage cleared from the customs. The service would not be available for the departing international passengers. However, both the outgoing and incoming domestic passengers would be entitled to avail of this service on request.

"Though CAA has yet to decide how much it would charge from the passengers for the porter service, it might range between Rs 50 to Rs 100," said a source at the Lahore airport.

Following the public complaints about overcharging by porters and corruption of contractors, the CAA had abandoned the porter service cancelling all the contracts, a few days back.

Porters were allegedly overcharging from the passengers and some times they demanded payment in dollars and riyals, while under the contract, they were required to charge not more than Rs 15 per passenger.

The CAA had also received several complaints that the porters were playing a role of 'middleman' between the Customs and the passengers. They charged from the passengers for getting their luggage cleared from the Customs. And all this was reportedly being done in connivance with the Customs officials due to their monetary considerations.

Taking serious notice of this illegal practice, the Defense Ministry had directed the CAA high-ups to remove porters and cancel the contracts at all the airports, said another source.

Currently the CAA staffers were assisting the senior travellers and women travelling with children in porting their luggage.

The CAA was earning approximately over Rs 10 million annually from the contractor of the porter service at the Lahore airport. The proposed service would generate less revenue. The basic objective of the CAA was not to earn, but to facilitate the passengers by providing better services, said a CAA high-up.