End to Airlift Woes as Nigerian Licensed Carriers Get More Slots to Transport Pilgrims Home
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
In a breakthrough development, all Nigerian licensed carriers will commence their in-bound flight operations to Nigeria optimally starting from tomorrow, Wednesday, July 12, 2023.
The development was contained in a statement released by the Deputy Director, Information/Publicationa of National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, Mousa Ubandawaki on Tuesday in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
According to Ubandawaki, this significant decision was the outcome of a high-level meeting between the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, and the Saudi authorities, specifically the General Authority on Civil Aviation, GACA, addressing the slow pace of the airlift operation.
The meeting between NAHCON and GACA, he added, aimed to alleviate the concerns and strain faced by Nigerian pilgrims eager to return to Nigeria since the conclusion of the Hajj rites on June 30.
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Recall, the airlift operation had been hindered by the limited availability of slots allocated to Nigerian licensed carriers, particularly by the Saudi Civil Aviation Authority.
Under the new agreement, Max Airline, boasting a fleet of three aircraft, will be able to operate all of its aircraft to Nigeria every day.
Similarly, Aero Contractors, Air Peace, Azman, and Arik Air, dedicated to the airlift of private tour operators, will have the opportunity to optimize their operations.
This development is expected to alleviate the challenges faced by Nigerian pilgrims and expedite the pace of the airlift operation.
Ubandawaki noted that the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria has been deeply concerned about this issue and has been actively seeking a solution since the commencement of the second phase of the airlift operation.
He revealed that GACA had previously declined to allocate sufficient slots to Nigerian airlines, impeding the swift return of pilgrims to their home country.
The Commission, therefore, appreciated the intervention of the Nigerian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Amb. Dauda Yahaya Lawal for making it a reality after several meetings.
