High expectations as airlift of 95, 000 hajj pilgrims begins today

ALL is now set for today’s airlift of the first batch of the 95,000 pilgrims from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia for the 2012 hajj.

With the various stakeholders and airlines pledging to keep to the terms of hajj operations, there are growing optimisms among the potential pilgrims and state governments that the exercise would be a huge success.

The officially designated air carriers at the weekend pledged to ensure that they complied with the agreed terms of their contracts.

Muslim leaders also met at the weekend to tutor their followers on the hajj rules and the need to be hood ambassadors of Nigeria.

The Guardian learnt that 85,000 of the pilgrims would go through the normal pilgrimage route while 10,000 would use the international route.

The four approved airlines, which last Thursday signed agreements with the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) are Marx Air; Kabo Air; Med View and Meridian Airlines. They agreed to position their aircraft at the designated airports on time; offer good-in-flight services such as feeding, medical kits and to accept the penalty for failure.