Saudia allocates 1.2m seats for Hajj pilgrims  

Reuters

Saudia, the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, has allocated more than 1.2 million seats for the 2024 Hajj Season across its fleet of over 150 aircraft.

The operational period for the carrier during this year’s Hajj will span 74 days, starting from May 9, encompassing both inbound and outbound stages.

Saudia Group, one of the largest aviation companies in the Middle East and North Africa with 12 subsidiaries and strategic business units, will facilitate the arrival of Hajj pilgrims through five airports, including Jeddah, Madinah, Riyadh, Dammam and Yanbu. 

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With the assistance of more than 11,000 frontline employees and aircraft maintenance technicians, the airline aims to ensure smooth movement at the airports and operational efficiency.  

Saudia plans to handle 270,000 pilgrim bags and 240,000 Zamzam water bottles during the period.

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The airline’s aircraft have been specially equipped with screens displaying announcements of Miqat – a boundary for pilgrims to start intent for the performance of Hajj – and prayer times. These screens also offer over 300,000 minutes of Islamic content to educate pilgrims on rituals and Kingdom regulations.

Religious travellers remain the bedrock of Saudi tourism as the government aims to bring in 150 million visitors annually by 2030. Religious tourists form nearly 50 percent of all international arrivals. 

Tourism accounts for 10 percent of non-oil GDP, playing a key role in the country’s economic transformation plan valued at $1.25 trillion. 

The government has eased the permit process in recent years.