A Fly Jinnah Airways Airbus A320-200, registered as AP-BOV and operating flight 9P-843 from Lahore to Karachi, had to return to Lahore after the pilots experienced dizziness during the climb. The aircraft had initially stopped climbing at FL080 due to an issue with the cabin pressurization system, which the pilots reported to air traffic control (ATC).
After the crew temporarily resolved the problem, they were cleared by ATC to continue climbing to FL360. However, while passing FL230, both the captain and the first officer experienced symptoms of dizziness, drowsiness, and limited mobility. They donned their oxygen masks and stopped climbing at FL270, subsequently requesting an emergency return to Lahore.
During the incident, a cabin crew member fainted but regained consciousness after receiving oxygen. Other cabin crew members also reported feeling unwell. The aircraft safely returned to Lahore approximately 45 minutes after takeoff.
The Pakistan Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) has classified the incident as serious and launched a detailed investigation into the circumstances surrounding the event.
