Tag Archives: hajj

Emirates will be operating 45 additional flights to Jeddah and 12 additional flights to Medina from August 17 until September 11 to help serve 2 million pilgrims expected to travel to the Holy City of Mecca during Hajj this year. These services will run in parallel with Emirates’ regularly scheduled services to Jeddah. The airline will also be operating its A380 to Medina which will also support the increased demand during this period. The additional services are available to travellers holding a valid Hajj visa. This year, top inbound destinations Emirates is expecting Hajj pilgrims to come from are Yangon, Manchester, Mauritius, Jakarta, Karachi, Lagos and Nairobi. Adil Al Ghaith, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Gulf, Middle East and Iran, Emirates, said, “With a sizeable increase in demand for air travel during this period, Emirates is helping to make the journey more seamless for the scores of pilgrims making their way to the Holy City of Mecca. Whether it’s in the air or on the ground, Emirates aims to provide all its customers with the best experience in line with their faith, particularly at this significant time and important journey.” On the ground, Emirates has appointed a dedicated group of airport staff to seamlessly facilitate the passenger ground experience for Hajj. In addition, dedicated check-in counters have been set up for Hajj passengers in Dubai. In the air, several initiatives have been planned in keeping with the values and traditions that pilgrims uphold when travelling for Hajj. Extra provisions will be made to accommodate Hajj traveller needs such as performing ablutions, advising passengers about Al Miqat and Ihram (the phase when pilgrims enter a state of sanctity) and other arrangements …

Qatar Airways is embracing the spirit of Hajj by providing pilgrims with exclusive Hajj kits designed and assembled with items to assist them during their spiritual journey. The Hajj kits will be offered to all passengers travelling for pilgrimage on the airline’s flights to Jeddah and Medina during the Hajj season that started from August 26, 2016. The Hajj kits were first launched by Qatar Airways in 2015 and each Hajj kit includes items that are beneficial to pilgrims as they make their journey through the Holy sites. The kit contains a prayer counter, prayer beads, prayer mat, stone bag, socks and wet wipes, conveniently packaged in a bag that can also be used to carry shoes. Qatar Airways, Senior Vice President, Customer Experience, Rossen Dimitrov, said: “Qatar Airways’ flights to Jeddah and Madina offer convenient travel for those passengers who wish to make their Hajj pilgrimage. Qatar Airways introduced the Hajj kits as a way to provide pilgrims with items that would be of value to them during their religious journey and in recognition of the importance of this spiritual time. Providing our passengers with an exceptional journey is a priority for Qatar Airways, and we are delighted to be able to offer them a gift tailored to their specific needs while experiencing Hajj.” Qatar Airways operates four flights a day to Jeddah, and three flights a day to Medina starting from 1 September, from Hamad International Airport in Doha. Through its home base at the state-of-the-art Hamad International Airport, Qatar Airways connects passengers to more than 150 places around the world, providing pilgrims from across the globe with easy, convenient access to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Holy …