THE Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR), an organisation that monitors and reports Hajj and Umrah in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, has called on the appointed airlines for 2023 Hajj to brace up for quality and timely airlift of intending pilgrims.
The National Coordinator, Ibrahim Muhammed said in a statement that airlift operations differ from the routine international or local flights accustomed to by the selected airliners, especially the new entrants – Air Peace, Arik Air, Aero Contractors and Value Air Jet.
“Hajj is tied to the Day of Arafat and the Day of Arafat is not amenable to change like other worldly events that can be delayed or postponed.
“Airlift of pilgrims constitutes the core aspect of Hajj operations because Hajj takes place in Saudi Arabia and as such, all registered intending pilgrims must be flown to the holy land to perform the spiritual exercise,” Muhammed said.
He urged the airlines to realise that delays would amount to denying the intending pilgrims the opportunity to perform rituals of Hajj as and when due.
The IHR coordinator called on the apex hajj regulatory body, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), to ensure full implementation of all the service agreements with the airlines, adding that there should be plans for the replacement of erring airlines.
“NAHCON should understand that Nigerians and Hajj stakeholders will hold them responsible if they fail to act when service providers fail in delivering their assigned responsibilities,” he said.
Muhammed also called on the traditional carriers to avoid using one plane in carrying intending pilgrims from two or three countries during Hajj operations.
“They should know that no one benefits when the order of the day is cutting corners, struggling to ferry tour operators’ pilgrims within the allotted time granted to Hajj participating countries to airlift states pilgrims,” he cautioned.
He commended NAHCON for increasing the number of hajj carriers for states’ pilgrims and for increasing the number of airlines to ferry tour operators’ pilgrims.
“Such a move will create an environment for healthy competition that will be in the interest of timely airlift of Nigerian pilgrims to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for 2023 Hajj exercise.
“However, NAHCON, states Muslim Pilgrims Boards and Hajj and Umrah operators should work together to streamline the airlift operations to avoid the confused mode of airlift witnessed in 2022,” he said.
