JEDDAH, 25 MARCH 2022: SAUDIA Airlines, the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, has signed an acceptance of offer to provide hajj charter flights to Malaysian pilgrims for the next three years.
The acceptance letter was signed by Captain Ibrahim Koshy, Chief Executive Office SAUDIA, while Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) was represented by Dato' Sri Syed Saleh Syed Abdul Rahman, the Executive Director of Hajj.
The signing ceremony, held at Jeddah Superdome, Saudi Arabia, was witnessed by H.E. Eng Ibrahim Al Omar, Director General SAUDIA, in conjunction with the Conference and Exhibition for Hajj and Umrah Services organised by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah Saudi Arabia.
Captain Ibrahim Koshy said the Airline will fly up to 50% of Malaysian pilgrims in stages from Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang (KLIA) directly to King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah and to Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah.
SAUDIA Airlines pays great attention to the Hajj and Umrah sector by having an established department that work solely to provide the best services to Hajj and Umrah pilgrims. It aims to acquire the highest possible market share of pilgrims, choosing markets of high travel demand, making contracts and liaising with the official organisations and entities in the countries concerned with organising Hajj and Umrah trips for their citizens, scheduling these trips, and coordinating with the General Authority of Civil Aviation to ensure smooth flow of movement and convenience to all guests.
SAUDIA will be utilising the spacious Boeing B787-9 aircraft with a capacity of 298 seats, and the national carrier will provide the best service to ensure the pilgrimage experience begins as soon as they step into the aircraft.
Dato' Sri Syed Saleh said TH as the sole government body of Malaysia is entrusted to provide various comprehensive facilities and services for the comfort and welfare of Malaysian pilgrims.
The offer to Saudia Airlines, between 2022 and 2024, strengthens the deep bilateral relationship between the Malaysian government and the Saudi Arabian government.
"This hajj charter flight arrangement is TH's continuous effort to ensure air transportation is in place to ferry Malaysian pilgrims to the Holy Land in preparation if the Saudi Arabian government allows foreign pilgrims to perform hajj this year," he said.
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