Sleeping woman missed Paris landing

A Frenchwoman who flew from Pakistan, slept through her arrival at Paris and then flew back to Lahore, has finally arrived back in the French capital.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is investigating how ground crew at Charles de Gaulle Airport failed to notice Patrice Christine Ahmed during the plane's two-hour stopover.

By the time she woke up she was on her way back to Pakistan.

PIA later arranged for Mrs Ahmed to fly back to Paris.

However, it said that whoever was at fault would pay for the extra ticket.

Mrs Ahmed, who is married to a Pakistani national, left the Pakistani city of Lahore at noon on Tuesday to fly to Paris via Milan.

After having slept through landing and disembarkation at Paris, Mrs Ahmed did not mention her misfortune to cabin crew on the return flight.

The matter only came to light when she was stopped by immigration officials in Lahore on Wednesday morning, after a 12,000km (7,700 mile) round trip.

Inquiry launched

PIA spokesman Sultan Hasan told AFP news agency that they were investigating the incident and also the French subcontractor responsible for passenger handling in Paris.

"We have put questions to this French firm about the incident but it is also the responsibility of the passenger to disembark at the destination," he said.

"It is a passenger's responsibility to check about the destination and disembark when the plane arrives at the particular airport."

PIA arranged to send Mrs Ahmed back to Paris with another airline as none of its own flights was available, but said that the party responsible for the incident should pay for the extra ticket.

"It depends who is at fault," Mr Hasan said.

"If it is a mistake by the local firm, they will pay and if the woman herself is responsible than she will have to bear the cost."

Source: BBC News