Confirm tickets by today
Minister urges Hajj pilgrims
Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister G M Quader yesterday urged the hajj pilgrims to confirm their air tickets by today.
"So far all the hajj pilgrims have already confirmed their tickets, however, if anyone is left it is the last call," Quader told a press briefing in the conference room of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
The minister said it would be difficult for the concerned airlines to confirm ticket if any pilgrim asks for it after today.
The ministry and other organisations showed tremendous success in managing hajj flights for the record number pilgrims this year, Quader said.
This year a total of 90,737 pilgrims received visa for performing hajj which is almost double comparing to the numbers of 58,000 in 2009 and 48,000 in 2008.
"This year, we involved eight more airlines as the third carriers apart from Biman Bangladesh Airlines and Saudi Arabian Airlines for carrying this huge number of hajj pilgrims," he said, adding that so far all the airlines and organisations have performed their duties as per their commitments.
The hajj flights have started on October 9 and would continue till November 10, and the return flights will be started on November 21 end by December 22.
So far, 78,675 hajj pilgrims have already reached Jeddah safely and the rest 12,062 are scheduled to leave the country by November 10.
"However, Saudi Arabian Airlines is ready to operate their Hajj flights for additional two days till November 12, if required," the minister added.
Of the hajj pilgrims who have already reached Jeddah, Biman carried 40,993, Saudi Airlines 12,245 while the third carriers ferried 25,437. Biman still have the capacity of carrying 4,216 hajj pilgrims.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Shafique Alam Mehedi, Chairman of Board of Directors of Biman Jamal Uddin Ahmed and Managing Director of Biman Air Commodore (retd) Muhammad Zakiul Islam were present at the briefing.
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