Flynas, a Saudi-designated air carrier, says it will commence the transportation of the first batch of Nigerian pilgrims back home on Saturday.
The managing director, First Planet Travels and General Sales Agent (GSA) of Flynas, Alhaji Umar Kaila, disclosed this in a statement released on Friday in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
He said the maiden return flight would begin with the pilgrims from Kebbi state from the King AbdulAziz International Airport, Jeddah, to Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport (SABIA) in Birnin Kebbi.
Kaila said, “We are happy to announce that Flynas is fully set to begin phase two of the airlift operation of Nigerian pilgrims from Saudi Arabia to Nigeria from Saturday, June 22, with pilgrims from Kebbi state.
“We had a seamless transportation operation from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia during Phase One without any delay and we have made adequate arrangements to transport our pilgrims back to Nigeria in a seamless and efficient manner.”
He said the airline has concluded arrangements to ensure a smooth and seamless return airlift operation from Saudi Arabia to Nigeria.
Kaila added that Flynas would transport pilgrims from Kebbi, Lagos, Sokoto, Zamfara, Yobe, Borno, Osun, Ogun, and Niger states back to Nigeria in the second leg of the operation.
He said the airline would conduct the return operation in 49 flights with five aircraft.
The Makkah coordinator of the airline, Malam Ahmad Ruma, said ground staffers of Flynas had started processing Kebbi state pilgrims in their accommodations in the Holy City of Makkah.
“Our staffers have already processed the Kebbi state pilgrims for the first return flight. They met them in their accommodations in Makkah, manifested them in the aircraft, weighed and tagged their 32-kg luggage, among others,” he said.
The Makkah coordinator said the airline had also started processing pilgrims from Lagos state for the return journey.
Flynas is one of the three airlines engaged by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to transport over 50, 000 of the state’s pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for this year’s hajj.
The two others are Max Air and Air Peace. (NAN)
