NAHCON meets with air carriers, NCAA to ensure seamless Hajj airlift
As part of preparations for the 2023 Hajj, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) held a meeting with stakeholders in the aviation industry and air carriers on Thursday, May 4th, 2023, at the Hajj House conference hall in Abuja.
The purpose of the meeting was to ensure that all arrangements were in place for a seamless Hajj airlift.
According to a press statement signed by Fatima Sanda Usara, the Assistant Director of Public Affairs at NAHCON, the Commission has taken steps to curtail potential drawbacks during the airlift.
Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, the NAHCON Chairman, announced that President Muhammadu Buhari had agreed to provide a 65% waiver on aviation charges to air carriers. This was good news for the carriers and would help to make the Hajj more affordable for Nigerian pilgrims.
To ensure a continuous supply of Jet A fuel, NAHCON has made arrangements with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC).
READ ALSO: NAHCON Chairman inaugurates 2023 medical team for Hajj operations
The carriers were advised to meet with the NNPC for briefing and to perfect the arrangement. The Commission has also consulted with aviation experts for professional advice, and they will continue to follow the industry’s guidance to ensure the safety and interest of Nigerian pilgrims.
The Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Musa Nuhu, was present at the meeting and stated that his organization had inspected all designated Hajj airlift airports for security and functional facilities.
He called on the selected carriers to adhere strictly to the terms and conditions of engagement that they would sign. The carriers were also advised to meet the requirements that would be spelt out in the agreements as NCAA was ready to sanction non-compliance.
He lamented the issues of delay and cancellation of airlifts as experienced last year, describing them as having a negative impact on the entire operation and even affecting Saudi Arabian operations.
Over this perpetual bottleneck, NCAA was earlier invited by the General Authority on Civil Aviation (GACA) to measure the level of effect it has on Madina and Jeddah airports’ Hajj operations. Hence, NCAA has laid down stringent measures to avoid cancellations and flight delays this year.
Capt Nuhu, as well as other speakers at the meeting, expressed concern over the closure of the Sudanese airspace due to the war in the country. They revealed that pilgrims might have to travel for seven and a half hours per trip due to a possible change of route.
In another development, four out of the five carriers selected for the Hajj operations requested additional time before signing the agreement. All four are local airlines.
According to the airline operators, they needed to carry out further consultations and calculations before returning to the drawing board to give consent on the contract by Tuesday, May 9th. FlyNas, the Saudi-based airline, had already signed and indicated its readiness to start the 2023 Hajj airlift. Therefore, further processes for the airlift arrangement continued with FlyNas.
The 2023 Hajj advance team, comprising selected NAHCON staff and a few medical personnel, is expected to depart the country on May 21st, 2023.
