Algiers- the program of flightsto MeccafortheHajj 2011includes all flights of AirAlgeriaCompanywith 72flightsin total.Saudi airline, meanwhile, will beresponsiblefor69flights; 81to Jeddah and 55 Medina airport.
The Director General of the Office of Hajj Sheikh Barbara, said in a statement to Ennahar, the first start was advanced to October 7 for technical reasons and expressed full satisfaction with the programming of flightsthisyear which,according to him,will make things easier for Algerian Hajjis.
22 flights are scheduled from the airport of Constantine; and eight by air Algeriaand 14by Saudi airline, with ten flightsto Jeddah and 14 to Madinah.
42 departures are scheduled from Houari Boumediene International Airport in Algiers(AirAlgeria20, Saudi Airlines22), 18 of the 42 flightsto theairport of Jeddah and 25 to Medinah.
In Oran, 45 departures are scheduled, 20 by Air Algeria and 25 by Saudi airline with 19 flightsto Medinaand theremainingto the airport of Jeddah. 16 departures are scheduled from Annaba, and 11 from Ouargla.
JEDDAH ( SAUDI ARABIA): Pilgrims participating in the Holy Haj pilgrimage of 2011 have started arriving in the holy cities of Makkah and Medinah. A total of 3153 Indian pilgrims through the Indian Central Haj Committee from various parts of the country reached in 9 flights in King Abdul Aziz Haj terminal in Jeddah and 9 flights in Prince Mohammed bin Abdul Aziz airport in Medinah on the first day of Hajis arrival on Thursday.
While 3 flights from Delhi, 2 flights each from Karippur (Calicut) and Lucknow, one each from Jaipur and Varanasi arrived in Medinah one flight each from Ranchi and Patna landed in Jeddah. First Haj flight reached in Saudi this year was Saudia Airlines service from Karippur carrying 300 pilgrims. It landed in Medinah at 13:45 (Saudi time). First Indian Haj flight reached in Jeddah was NAS Airlines flight carrying 300 pilgrims from Ranchi 2 hours at 19:00(Saudi time).
Indian ambassador Hamid Ali Ravu, Haj consul B S Mubark and other Indian and Saudi officials received Indian hajis arrived in Jeddah airport while Indian consul General Faize Ahmed Kidwai , Medinah Indian Haj mission officials and unofficial volunteer organization Medinah Indian Haj Welfare Forum workers were present to welcome Hajis of first day flights in Medinah airport .
Those arrived in Jeddah headed for Makkah, some 100 km away, after procedures at the airport.
Total of 170,491 pilgrims from India would perform Haj this year, the consulate general of India disclosed in a press brief here. It also explained that the consulate would directly coordinate the arrangements for 125,000 Indian pilgrims coming through Haj Committee of India (HCoI). Another 45,491 pilgrims would perform Haj through India based private tour operators.
For the Haj committee of India pilgrims, a total number of 424 (SV-315 and NAS-109) aircrafts would operate. Saudi Arabian Airlines would carry 92948 pilgrims and 30228 pilgrims would be carried by NAS. The first flight at Madinah would be landing on 29th September at 1325 hrs from Calicut.
Starting from 29th September, an average 13 aircrafts would be carrying about 3900 pilgrims per day till 1st November from 21 different embarkation points.
Central Haj Committee pilgrims will fly to Jeddah and Medinah from Ahmedabad, Aurangabad, Bangalore, Bhopal, Calicut, Chennai, Delhi, Goa, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mangalore, Mumbai, Nagpur, Ranchi,Varanasi, Patna and Srinagar where Patna, and Srinagar would be Hub & Spoke points.
During the arrival phase 187 flights carrying 64000 pilgrims would land in Jeddah and 244 flights carrying 60000 pilgrims would land in Madinah. During the departure phase 255 flights carrying 75000 pilgrims would depart from Jeddah and 176 flights carrying 49,000 pilgrims would depart from Madinah.
Special Haj arrangements in place for Indian pilgrims this year
30 September 2011
JEDDAH - The first flight carrying Indian pilgrims for Haj arrived in Madina Thursday.
A total of 170,491 pilgrims from India will perform Haj this year, the Consulate General of India in Jeddah said in a press release Wednesday.
Several arrangements for Indian pilgrims have been made this year, the most notable of which are:
1. Pilgrims need not carry check-in baggage during departure. A designated agency will visit them and take their baggage for check-in 24 hours before their departure.
2. On call services for cleaning, plumbing, water supply, and lift-related issues in buildings housing pilgrims will be taken cared of by an agency.
3. An arrangement has been made with a local telecom company to distribute SIM cards at low cost to Indian pilgrims. The SIM cards will have all important numbers required by pilgrims pre-stored in them.
4. Special medical teams will take care of pilgrims over 70 years of age.
5. Tents in Mina will be inspected to ensure adequate facilities and space are provided.
6. Round-the-clock office and dispensary arrangements have been made at the Jeddah Haj Terminal.
7. A 50-bed hospital has been set up in Makkah and a 10-bed hospital in Madina by the Indian Mission
MADINAH/JEDDAH: A Turkish flight, carrying 300 pilgrims, landed at Prince Muhammad bin Abdul Aziz International Airport in Madinah early Thursday as the first pilgrims to arrive in the holy city by air.
Also, the first batch of 284 Thai pilgrimsfrom thesouthern provinces of Thailand, led by Ismaae Alee, arrived in Jeddah over the weekend.
According to director of the Haj Ministry branch in Madinah, Muhammad bin Abdul Rahman Al-Bijawi, the Turkish flight was followed by 51 Haj flights bringing the number of pilgrims who arrived in Madinah by air to about 15,000.
He told local daily Al-Watan thatabout 500,000 pilgrims were expected to arrive in Madinah by air for this year's Haj. He said 400,000 pilgrims would be arriving by buses from Jeddah and Makkah while 80,000 were expected to come by land from neighboring countries.
Airport director Abdul Fattah Atta said three lounges are in service to receivepilgrims coming from outside while a fourth is on hand to receive domestic arrivals. He said a new lounge for outside pilgrims would be operational from Tuesday.
The Thai International Airways, which brought the Thai pilgrims to Jeddah, is operating 24 charter flightsto theHajTerminal this year. The batch is among 13,000 Thai Haj pilgrims coming for the annual pilgrimage.
Local Haj officials, including Zainee Banjar, division head of the TawafaEstablishment for Southeast Asian Pilgrims, and Thai officials including Anchalee Saifah, acting consul general of Thailand,and Haj Consul Halim Waenalai welcomed the pilgrims. "TheThai government attaches utmost importance to Haj matters and takes special interest in making arrangements for the pilgrims heading for the pilgrimage. Most of the Thai pilgrims are from the southern part of Thailand, therefore, every year charter flights are arranged by the government to facilitate and transport them from Hadyai, Phuket, and Krabi airports, which are closer to their places of residence," Saifah said. "I am very happy with the arrangements made for the pilgrims by the local authorities. It's my pride and honor to be part of the first group of pilgrims from Thailand this year," said Samarn Jehloh on behalf of the pilgrims.
The first group of African pilgrimsfortheupcoming Hajarrived atKingAbdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah early Wednesday. The group consisted of 184 South Africans.
Supervisorof thereception committeeof theTawafaEstablishment for Non-Arab African Pilgrims Hani bin Hashim Nasser welcomed thepilgrimsattheairport.
Nasser said another 163 pilgrims would be arriving from South Africa Thursday, while a group of 38 pilgrimsfrom thecountry arrived the same day in Madinah.
JEDDAH: The Department of Health Affairs in Jeddah has equipped the Health Control Center at King Abdul Aziz International Airport (KAIA) to provide consummatehealth servicesto theguestsof God, director of the department Sami bin Muhammad Badawood told Arab News Friday.
He said the center has been equipped with all necessary medical tools including a modern x-ray system.The x-ray machine has been installed to help detect diseases early. "We have supplied the center with all kinds of medicines and vaccines. About 579 maleand female employees from various parts of the Kingdom are working at the center round the clock," he said.
According to Badawood, the center has been provided with all medical and technical assistance, including preventive medicines, in addition to a group of health workers who will carry out awareness programs among the pilgrims.
He said the curative and preventive servicesat KAIA began on Thursday and would continue until the end of the Haj season.
The director of the center Abdul Ghani Al-Malki said all government and privateemployees at the airport have been vaccinated against meningitis and seasonal flu.
"We havea medical team which inspects all aircraft especially those arriving from areas infected with dengue and Rift Valley Feverto make sure that they are sprayed with disinfectants before they land at the airport."
Meanwhile the first batch of pilgrims from Indonesia will be arriving at Prince Muhammad bin Abdul Aziz International Airport on Sunday. More than 114,000 Indonesian pilgrims will visitMadinah to pay homage to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and pray at his mosque.
First Hajj flight, carrying 205 pilgrims reached Saudi Arabia
ISLAMABAD, Oct 1 (APP):
The first PIA Hajj flightPK-1901from (Quetta) Pakistan, carrying 205 pilgrims reached Abdul Aziz International Airport Jeddah on Friday night.The pilgrimswerereceived by the Ambassador of Pakistan to theKingdom of Saudi Arabia, Muhammad Naeem Khan and Consul General of Pakistan Abdul Salik Khan, senior Saudi officials, senior officials of the Consulate General of Pakistan,PIAand theHajj Mission, says a press release issued here on Saturday.Welcoming thepilgrims,thePakistan's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, said that Pakistan Hajj Mission has made all efforts to make their stay in Saudi Arabia more comfortable.The Ambassador said that the pilgrims accommodations in Makkah and Madinah have already been arranged and that officesand dispensariesin Makkah and Madinah have also been set up for the Hujjaj that will be operational round the clock.
He said that number of Khuddam-ul-Hujaj has been doubled this year to facilitatethepilgrims.
Naeem Khan appreciated the facilities provided by the government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the Saudi leadership forthe pilgrims.
He urged the pilgrims to concentrate on their prayers during their stay in Saudi Arabia and pray for the security and prosperity of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the Muslim Ummah.
Later on talking to the media, the Ambassador said that a total of 180,000 Hujjaj will arrivefrom Pakistan this year - a figure which is the second largest in the world after Indonesia.
The Ambassador said that the pilgrims who would be arriving overthenext onemonth would be carried mostly by two Pakistan airlines(Pakistan International Airlinesand Shaheen Air) and two Saudi carriers (Saudi and NAS). HoweverPIA would be carrying the major share of about 130,000.
He said that a toll-free help line/call centre in Saudi Arabia (8006106668) has been set up to immediately redressthecomplaints of the Hujjaj, beside distribution of more than 1000 mobile SIMs amongst the welfare staff to enable free group talk.
He said that the other salient features included, making it compulsory for female pilgrimsto wear an Abaya bearing the Pakistani flag, strict checking of luggage to see of it was of the right size and marked with proper identification.
Ministry to use new media for awareness on Haj rituals
Saturday,01October 2011 - 04 Thul-Qedah 1432 H
JEDDAH - The Ministry of Islamic Affairs may use the power of new media this year to educate pilgrims on Haj rites.
Speaking to Okaz/Saudi Gazette, Sheikh Talal Al-Aqeel, Adviser to theMinisterof Islamic Affairs for Haj and Umrah Affairs, said the ministry has diversified its means of discourse for pilgrims by using every effectivemedium possibleand relying on distance learning.
A satellite program, approved by the ministry, titled"Shabab Book" that is aired every Tuesday on Iqra channel will beused thisseason to educate the youth about Haj and its rites, he said.
The ministry is also scheduled to air a 17-consecutive-day live program that will explain the Haj rites in an easy-to-follow, but detailed manner - starting from departure from one's country and closing with return to the homeland. It will be transmitted on 30 satellite channels, Al-Aqeel said.
The program will be easy to understand, he added.
Al-Aqeel said the ministry is publishing information in 22 languages to reach Muslims around the world. He said the program would serve as early awarenessfor pilgrimsbeforetheir arrival in the Kingdom.
He stressed that the awareness programs have taken into consideration the difference in Muslims' environments and cultures. He said the ministry is publishing information on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube besides TV channels.
The ministry has also started a new service- a toll-free helpline available in eight languages which pilgrimscan call atanytimeto getanswers to their questions.
The ministry has adopted the motto of "Pioneers in Providing Services",which isbasedon quality, and not quantity, of service. All planscarried out by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs are well-prepared and well ahead of the Haj season, Al-Aqeel added.
Pak minister discusses Haj arrangements with Tawafa
By BADEA ABU AL-NAJA | ARABNEWS
Published: Oct 1, 2011 22:49 Updated: Oct 1, 2011 22:49
MAKKAH: Pakistan's ReligiousAffairs Minister Khursheed Ahmad Shah discussed the pilgrim servicesundertaken by field offices when he visited the No. 36 Field Service Office of the Tawafa Establishment for South Asian Pilgrims in Makkah on Saturday.
Shah met with director of the field officeOsamaSaqat and Mutawwif Jamal Al-Lail during the visit.
The minister commended the services offered by the government for the Haj pilgrimsby undertaking vast extension projects aimed at the increased safety and comfort of pilgrims in Makkah, Madinah and the holy sites. He also thanked officials of the field officefor their devoted service to pilgrims.
Saqat told the minister that the activitiesof theofficewere personally supervised by Adnan Katib,chairman of the Tawafa establishment.
Meanwhile, a PIA flight carrying the first group of Pakistani pilgrims arrived at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah late Friday.
Pakistan Ambassador Muhammad Naeem Khan, Consul General of Pakistan Abdul Salik Khan, senior Saudi officials, and representatives of the consulate, PIA and the Pakistan Haj mission received the 205 pilgrims from Quetta.
The ambassador said the Haj mission has made all arrangements to ensure the pilgrims' stay is comfortable.
The pilgrims' accommodations in Makkah and Madinah have already been arranged, and officesand dispensariesin the two holy cities have also been set up and will be operational around the clock.
The number of Haj volunteers has doubled this year to facilitate the pilgrims, Khan said, expressing appreciation for the facilities provided by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and his government.
He urged the pilgrims to concentrate on their prayers during their stay and pray for the security and prosperity of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the Muslim Ummah.
The ambassador said a total of 180,000 pilgrims would arrive from Pakistan this year, the second largest contingent after Indonesia for this year's pilgrimage.
The ambassador said two Pakistaniairlines(PIA and Shaheen Air) and two Saudi carriers (Saudi Arabian Airlines and Nas Air) would transport the pilgrims. However, PIA will be transporting the major share of about 130,000.
He said a toll-free helpline (8006106668) has been set up in Saudi Arabia to receive the complaints of pilgrims.
Published: Oct 2, 2011 23:27 Updated: Oct 2, 2011 23:27
MAKKAH: Mayor Osama Al-Bar has made a new organizational structure for the municipality within its preparations for the Haj season, informed sources at the municipality said on Sunday.
The new setup was made with a view to ensuring the success of the Haj season providing the guests of God with all services to enable them to perform the fifth pillar of Islam in ease and comfort.
Al-Bar said the municipality would deploy all its resources and had made the necessary arrangements to ensure the guests of God with all facilities and services. He added that qualified cadres had been chosen to carry out the municipality’s Haj plan.
Under the new arrangements, Al-Bar will supervise the execution of the plan. Khaled Al-Haij, undersecretary for constructions and projects, and Abdul Salam Al-Mashshat, undersecretary of services, have been appointed deputy supervisors.
Al-Bar said assistant undersecretaries, department directors, heads of branch municipalities and chairmen of committees would all be working in the execution of the Haj plan in addition to running their daily duties in the municipality.
“We have chosen the experienced and highly qualified personnel to work on the execution of the plan aimed at extending consummate services to pilgrims,” he said.
Published: Oct 2, 2011 23:26 Updated: Oct 2, 2011 23:26
JEDDAH: An agreement has been reached to recruit 30,000 workers from Egypt to work during the upcoming pilgrimage, Haj Ministry sources said on Sunday.
They said the Egyptian manpower would consist of drivers and veterinarians among others.
According to the sources, the agreement was reached during a recent meeting in Cairo between representatives of the Saudi ministries of Haj and interior and the Egyptian Ministry of Manpower and Migration.
Delegates from Saudi and Egyptian manpower recruiting companies also attended the meeting.
The sources said the meeting discussed the need for seasonal manpower from Egypt to work during the Haj season and agreed that 80 percent of Egyptian workers to be recruited should have experience working in previous pilgrimage seasons.
Under the agreement, Saudi companies should take good care of the workers while in the Kingdom. The Egyptians will be paid monthly salaries of SR2,000 for three months in addition to travel costs.
The sources said a total of 3,516 Egyptian drivers were blacklisted for various violations during previous Haj seasons. The violations included refusal to work on Arafat day, using buses for own benefit, using drugs and inciting fellow workers to stop work.
Passport police deploy in force to prevent pilgrim smuggling
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By ARAB NEWS
Published: Oct 2, 2011 23:26 Updated: Oct 2, 2011 23:26
JEDDAH: A senior passport official has warned the public against smuggling overstayers and pilgrims without permits to the holy sites.
Brig. Ayedh Al-Harbi, commander of passport police for Haj, said on Sunday that people who transport illegal pilgrims would be easily discovered and severely punished.
All entry points to Makkah and Madinah have been manned by qualified passport police personnel to detect forged documents, illegal pilgrims, and anyone trying to enter the two holy cities without official Haj permits, he said.
Al-Harbi said the Directorate General of Passports has trained its cadres to efficiently carry out passport duties during the Haj season.
He said all pilgrims would be fingerprinted to make sure they would not stay in the Kingdom after performing their Haj rites.
Al-Harbi said modern equipment to detect forged documents would be used to uncover fake passports. “Advanced computer programs will be used to finalize the entry and exit procedures of pilgrims,” he said.
Al-Harbi said sufficient numbers of police personnel were stationed at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Prince Muhammad International Airport in Madinah and Jeddah Islamic Port.
MAKKAH - The Ministry of Haj has asked domestic pilgrim companies to hire medical teams specializing in epidemics, public health and contagious diseases.
The ministry has stipulated that the medical staff contracts will have to be approved by the Health Affairs in Makkah. It said domestic pilgrim companies and organizations that cannot comply with the new medical requirements for this year's Haj must submit a letter explaining their inability to do so. The ministry will then decide whether they can be exempted or not.
The ministry said companies must follow all instructions and regulations concerning the housing and service of pilgrims, including safety standards and Civil Defense fire control directions. This includes making sure that fire extinguishers are in working order. The ministry also requires companies to provide around-the-clock, uniformed security guards at camps. The ministry has added that it will take action against any company that uses the camps for other purposes, including renting them out to individuals and other firms.
The sources added that the ministry only allows companies to market their services under strict conditions. This is aimed at making it difficult for bogus companies to use the names of legal companies. The ministry requires domestic pilgrim companies to market their services through offices or branches registered at the ministry. Other companies are not allowed to market their services.
Pilgrim companies have been warned not to market their services using words or photos advertising special-service and VIP programs. They are also not allowed to mention the Holy Sites Train in their marketing. The ministry has further ordered that only Saudis can be employed in administrative positions including reception, data entry and staff who deal with contracts.
Violators will also have their flights suspended during Haj
October 03, 2011
Saudi Arabia has warned all airlines that they could be fined SR5,000 ($1,333) if they bring in women not wearing abaya (gown) during the upcoming pilgrimage season, a newspaper in the Gulf kingdom reported on Monday.
The Pakistani ministry of religious affairs has told the country's official carrier that it must ensure all Pakistani women travelling to Saudi Arabia for Haj (pilgrimage) in early November must wear abaya.
"The ministry said that carriers which do not adhere to this rule will be fined SR5,000 and have their flights suspended during Haj," 'Sabq' daily said.
More than two million Muslim men and women are expected to flock to Saudi Arabia for this year's pilgrimage in Makkah, Islam's holiest shrine.
Almost 55,000 pilgrims arrive in the Holy City of Madinah
3rd October 2011 - Madinah, Dhu-AlQa'dah 5, 1432
As many as 54,904 pilgrims have so far arrived in Madinah.
In implementation of the directives of the Saudi Leadership to provide the best services and facilities to pilgrims and visitors of the Prophet's Mosque, Prince Abdulaziz bin Majed bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Madinah region and Chairman of Hajj Committee, has been following up the works of public and private sectors in the service of pilgrims to perform their rituals easily and comfortably. SPA
This cannot be undone and I am sure it will be greatly appreciated.
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