JEDDAH, 19 January 2007 — Erratic, irrational behavior of an airport immigration official caused untold hardships to pilgrims from Lucknow here last night when they were told at the eleventh hour to go to the Haj Terminal to check in instead of the North Terminal.
These pilgrims who reported at the King Abdul Aziz International Airport to catch Air-India’s flight AI890 to Lucknow were asked to go to the Haj Terminal.
“All airlines have been given a letter from the airport director that in order to prevent congestion, pilgrims from Mumbai and Delhi traveling on regular flights must check in at the Haj Terminal. However, Hajis from Lucknow, Hyderabad, Calicut and other places can check in at the North Terminal,” said Vijay Kumar, Air-India’s airport manager. “However, for the last two flights, Abdul Mohsin Al-Towaibi, in-charge of immigration, has refused to allow these pilgrims to leave from the North Terminal. We showed him the letter from the airport director but he did not relent,” he added.
Vijay Kumar said they contacted Airport Operations Manager Samir Ali Mirah and he agreed that there was a directive from the airport director in this regard and it should be followed.
“Luckily the number of pilgrims today was not very big, but tomorrow when we have pilgrims from Hyderabad it is going to be very, very difficult. It is not possible to inform the pilgrims since they are in Makkah and Madinah,” he said.
“We only hope that higher authorities will intervene and this problem will be solved soon,” he added.
