Bird feeding near Lahore Airport endangers flights, causing a near-disaster on Airblue Flight PA-401 after a bird strike. Urgent action is needed to prevent aviation tragedies.
Lahore — July 21, 2025: In a shocking revelation, daily observations around Lahore Airport’s boundary have exposed a glaring safety hazard that continues to endanger hundreds of lives. Locals are regularly seen throwing meat, grains, and food scraps along the airport’s perimeter fences, attracting flocks of birds such as kites, crows, and other scavengers, right next to the active runway where planes take off and land.
Even more alarming is a particular spot near the old Lahore Airport area, just before a key turn, which has seemingly become an unofficial ‘aastana’. Here, people gather frequently to feed birds as a form of charity or ‘sadqa’, completely oblivious to the catastrophic risks posed to aviation safety.
Airblue Flight Narrowly Escapes Tragedy
The gravity of the situation was underscored recently when Airblue Flight PA-401, en route from Lahore to Karachi, encountered a bird strike during its takeoff roll. As the aircraft accelerated to nearly 280 km/h, a loud, thunderous sound shook the plane — the result of a bird being ingested into the engine. The flight, already delayed by an hour, faced a life-threatening scenario within seconds.
Displaying exceptional skill, the Airblue pilot executed a rejected takeoff (RTO), bringing the plane to a safe halt on the runway — an action that likely saved the lives of all passengers and crew on board.
Had the aircraft become airborne with a damaged engine, the consequences could have mirrored some of the worst aviation disasters linked to bird strikes.
Aviation Experts Raise Alarms
Aviation experts and frequent travelers have condemned the gross negligence of airport management, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), and local security agencies, demanding urgent measures to prevent such risky practices.
“Allowing bird feeding near an active airport boundary is a recipe for disaster. Authorities must establish and enforce strict no-feeding zones and educate the public on the risks,” said an aviation safety consultant.
The Bigger Question
While the heroics of the Airblue PA-401 pilot deserve praise, the recurring problem of bird feeding around the Lahore Airport raises a pressing question:
How long can luck and pilot expertise protect lives if ground-level negligence continues unchecked?
The Need for Immediate Action
Authorities must act swiftly to:
- Ban the feeding of birds near all airport boundaries.
- Increase patrolling and monitoring of sensitive perimeters.
- Educate locals on the fatal consequences of such activities.
- Implement heavy penalties for violations.
If not addressed, it is only a matter of time before such negligence leads to an irreversible tragedy.
MediaBites will continue to follow up on this critical safety issue and urge the concerned authorities to intervene before it’s too late.
Courtesy: Mohammad Salman Uddin
