Fiynas — a Saudi-designated Nigerian hajj air carrier — has concluded the transportation of its last batch of Nigerian pilgrims, marking an end to 2024 hajj operation.
This was revealed by the Managing Director, First Planet Travels and General Sales Agent (GSA) of Flynas, Alhaji Umar Kaila, in a statement issued in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Flynas, one of the three airlines selected to airlift Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia in 2024, had at the beginning of the hajj operation, airlifted the first batch of Nigerian pilgrims from Kebbi pilgrims to the holy land.
Mr Kaila said, “The Phase 2 operation was seamless and smooth as planned. We thank Allah (SWT) for this huge success.”
“Flynas’ last flight landed in Abuja Monday evening with NAHCON officials and some Niger State pilgrims. The operation was officially completed when the flight moved to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Airport Minna and delivered the remaining Niger State pilgrims same day,” Mr Kaila said.
He said during the Phase 2 operation, “Flynas conducted 49 flights from King AbdulAziz International Airport, Jeddah to Birnin Kebbi, Sokoto, Lagos, Maiduguri, Minna and Abuja.”
The Flynas chief commended the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON); Lagos, Kebbi, Sokoto, Niger, Osun, Ogun, Borno, Yobe state pilgrims boards and other relevant aviation agencies for their support and cooperation during the successful exercise.
“The success recorded during the airlift operation, like in the past nine years, was made possible by the mutual cooperation by NAHCON, governments and state pilgrims boards of our allocated states, relevant aviation agencies, our esteemed pilgrims and our dedicated staff in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia. We thank them for this great feat,” Mr Kaila said.
He said, “this year’s operation marks exactly 10 years since Flynas began pilgrims airlift in Nigeria. We thank Allah (SWT) for giving us the opportunity to contribute our modest quota to the smooth hajj operation in Nigeria. The hajj stakeholders in Nigeria have done wonderfully well in this 10 years. They deserve commendation.”
He said like in the past, “all the pilgrims were transported back to Nigeria with their 8-kilogram hand luggage, 32-kilogram main luggage and 5-litre Zamzam water.”
In 2024 hajj, NAHCON allocated Flynas about 20,000 pilgrims from Kebbi, Lagos, Sokoto, Zamfara, Yobe, Borno, Osun, Ogun, and Niger states.
Over 50,000 state pilgrims from Nigeria participated in hajj pilgrimage.
