RIYADH – The Saudia Group would be using 176 aircraft from 100 airports across the world to execute its Hajj operation while allocating over 1.2 million seats for pilgrims from all across the world.
The group represented by Saudia, flyadeal and Saudi Private Aviation, would be using 176 aircraft from the Saudia and flyadeal fleet and the pilgrims will be transported through six airports inside the Kingdom.
The operational plan has been designed differently as the kingdom would be welcoming Hajj pilgrims in large numbers for the first time since the Covid related restrictions were lifted.
Amer Al-Khushail, CEO of Hajj and Umrah at the Saudia Group told Arab News that the size of fleets dedicated to Hajj had increased as a result, and flyadeal would be involved for the first time in operations to transport pilgrims.
“Through the vast experience of the Saudia Group over the years of operating Hajj seasons with high efficiency and effectiveness, the necessary plans have been prepared for this season and have been approved by the board of directors of Saudi Airlines led by the Minister of Transport and Logistics Saleh Al-Jasser,” he said.
Al-Khushail revealed that Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah will receive the first flights arriving in the Kingdom on May 21 and Saudia will be transporting pilgrims from over 100 scheduled destinations and 14 seasonal destinations to airports in Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, Madinah, Taif, and Yanbu.
The group has envisioned to provide smooth travel experience to pilgrims by providing them 8,000 cockpit and cabin crew who can speak a total of 42 different languages besides offering them services like dispatching zamzam water bottles and providing additional flights to travel to Madinah.
It is note worthy that this is the first time Saudi Arabia would be welcoming pilgrims in large numbers i.e around 2.3m after the pandemic restrictions have been lifted. Around one million people joined the 2022 Hajj season and only those in age bracket 18 to 65 who were fully vaccinated or immunised against the virus and did not suffer from chronic diseases were allowed to visit the kingdom.
