Saudia to fly in 828,000 pilgrims

JEDDAH, 10 November 2002 — Saudi Arabian Airlines is expected to transport more than 828,000 pilgrims from 70 international stations including 19 in the Middle East, 16 each in Asia and Africa and 19 in Europe and America.

Dr. Khaled Bin Bakr, Saudia’s director-general, said the airline has already signed agreements with authorities in India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Iran to transport a total of 359,000 pilgrims from the four countries.

Addressing the airline’s executive Haj committee here yesterday, he said Saudia will transport pilgrims from nine new stations in Iran, Britain and France for the first time during the forthcoming Haj season.

Bakr said the airline will transport more than 1.53 million Umrah pilgrims from various parts of the world during this Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr on 9,935 scheduled and extra flights within a period of 45 days.