Extra flights to Jeddah d Medina for Haj pilgrims

Monday 19 October 2009

Air India will introduce a number of additional flights to Jeddah and Medina from tomorrow (October 20th) to accommodate Haj pilgrims.

A total of 137 special flights will be operated to the Middle East destinations using B747-400, Airbus 310 and Airbus 330 aircraft.

Flights on Air India's own aircraft will take off from the cities of Kolkata, Nagpur, Guwahati, Jaipur, Indore, Aurangabad and Srinagar, while connections to Saudi Arabian flights will be offered from a number of cities including Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore.

The first phase of the carrier's Haj operation will last until November 21st, with phase two, which involves transporting the pilgrims back to India, taking place between December 1st and January 1st.

Air India expects to carry approximately 40,000 Haj pilgrims over the course of the period at which the special flights are in operation.

It was confirmed earlier this month that the airline had become the official carrier for next year's Commonwealth Games, an event being held in Delhi.

This came after it signed a memorandum of understanding with the Commonwealth Organising Committee.