Hajj flights: Flynas demand 50% of Saudia’s share of Bangladeshi pilgrims

by admin

 

 

 

This year Bangladesh will be able to send some 127,198 people to perform Hajj

 

 

Saudi Arabia Low-cost airline company #Flynas has demanded to carry 50% of the Hajj pilgrims from the quota allocated for Saudia, the Kingdom’s flag carrier, this year.

 

Last year, Flynas carried around 5,000 out of about 60,000 pilgrims from Bangladesh. Biman Bangladesh Airlines transported 30,000 and Saudia 25,000 pilgrims.

 

 

Saudia authorities, however, opposed the demand when the matter was raised at a meeting with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism on Wednesday.

 

READ ALSO: Flynas takes delivery of two Airbus A330 aircraft, to serve pilgrims and Umrah performers

 

The government is likely to start Hajj flights in the last week of May. This year Bangladesh will be able to send some 127,198 people to perform Hajj.

 

 

A representative of Saudia said: “We transport expatriates and Hajj and Umrah pilgrims alongside general passengers from Bangladesh regularly. So we demand that our quota remain unchanged”.

 

Officials of the Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry, the Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB), the Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) and other stakeholders attended the meeting.

 

 

Immigration issues

Biman has set a plan to operate 160 flights this year, while the number of aircraft and ticket prices for the Dhaka-Jeddah-Dhaka flights are yet to be finalized.

 

 

According to meeting sources, under the “Road to Makkah” Service Agreement, Hajj pilgrims flying from Dhaka can complete their immigration at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA).

 

 

Others who prefer to start from Sylhet and Chittagong will have to complete the immigration process twice – at the departure airport and again after arriving in Makkah.

 

 

At the meeting, Biman authorities initially said they wanted to carry all Hajj passengers from Dhaka. But ATAB leader SN Manzur Murshed (Mahbub) opposed Biman’s proposal and demanded that Biman and Saudia operate flights from Sylhet and Chittagong like last year, considering the convenience of passengers.

 

 

HAAB President M Shahadat Hossain Taslim echoed Mahbub.

 

State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Mahbub Ali, who chaired the meeting, instructed the officials concerned to complete all preparations, including the accommodation of pilgrims in Makkah, within the stipulated time.

Dhaka tribune

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