Staff Reporter :
The government has decided to include booking and issuing of tickets against the names of every Hajj pilgrims to stop air ticket syndicating during this year’s Hajj session.
But the processing of the Hajj visa system is being delayed due to the Saudi Airlines’ defying the government decision, paving the way for ticket syndication by some particular agencies, it was alleged.
However, Biman Bangladesh Airlines has already implemented the decision.
Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) and Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB) have jointly held Saudi Airlines responsible for taking of extra money by some particular
agencies because of denying the rules of selling tickets directly to the pilgrims by the airlines.
Both the organizations on Friday also urged to the agencies to stop taking extra money from the pilgrims.
“We have already sent letters to our members and trying to solve the matter for a fair Hajj management,” M Sahadat Hossain Taslim, President of HAAB told The New Nation.
According to the Religious Ministry, the Biman Bangladesh Airlines and the Saudi Airlines have been asked not to issue more than 300 air tickets for pilgrims to any Hajj agency. But the Saudi Airlines is not complying with the government directive. Violating the government decision, the airlines officials are allegedly pocketing a big sum of money from sale of Hajj tickets by some particulars agencies. That’s why many agencies could not submit passports for visa to the Hajj office due to not ensuring air tickets.
Sources alleged that a section of leading Hajj agencies have monopolized the buying of air tickets for the pilgrims. As a result, the airlines has availed the opportunity to monopolize ticketing business this season.
Religious Ministry sources said, pilgrims who planned to perform Hajj this year under private management have been asked to submit their passports for visa to the Hajj office within June 16 with the copy of air ticket, but some agencies are yet submit their pilgrim’s passport. So the ministry on Saturday issued another notice to the agencies to submit their passports with copy of air ticket copy immediately.
This year, around 650 Hajj agencies will send 127,198 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj.
Meanwhile, the Saudi Airlines has already issued some 45,000 tickets out of a total of 63,599 tickets for only some Hajj agencies giving the chance of syndication.
As per a deal between Biman Bangladesh Airlines and the Saudi Airlines, both airlines would carry half of Hajj pilgrims this year. Of the 127,198 Hajj aspirants, Saudi Airlines will carry about 65,000 Bangladeshi pilgrims and Biman the rest.
As per rule, each selected agency will get maximum 2000-3000 Hajj tickets for sale. But it is alleged that only some particular agencies have already got most of tickets. How could they get such a big number of Saudi Airlines’ tickets, depriving other HAAB members, it was further alleged.
“We don’t provide illegal facilities to anyone” Omar Khayyam, Sales and Marketing Manager of the Dhaka Office of Saudi Airlines, told The New Nation, when his attention was drawn to the allegation.
The government has decided to include booking and issuing of tickets against the names of every Hajj pilgrims to stop air ticket syndicating during this year’s Hajj session.
But the processing of the Hajj visa system is being delayed due to the Saudi Airlines’ defying the government decision, paving the way for ticket syndication by some particular agencies, it was alleged.
However, Biman Bangladesh Airlines has already implemented the decision.
Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) and Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB) have jointly held Saudi Airlines responsible for taking of extra money by some particular
agencies because of denying the rules of selling tickets directly to the pilgrims by the airlines.
Both the organizations on Friday also urged to the agencies to stop taking extra money from the pilgrims.
“We have already sent letters to our members and trying to solve the matter for a fair Hajj management,” M Sahadat Hossain Taslim, President of HAAB told The New Nation.
According to the Religious Ministry, the Biman Bangladesh Airlines and the Saudi Airlines have been asked not to issue more than 300 air tickets for pilgrims to any Hajj agency. But the Saudi Airlines is not complying with the government directive. Violating the government decision, the airlines officials are allegedly pocketing a big sum of money from sale of Hajj tickets by some particulars agencies. That’s why many agencies could not submit passports for visa to the Hajj office due to not ensuring air tickets.
Sources alleged that a section of leading Hajj agencies have monopolized the buying of air tickets for the pilgrims. As a result, the airlines has availed the opportunity to monopolize ticketing business this season.
Religious Ministry sources said, pilgrims who planned to perform Hajj this year under private management have been asked to submit their passports for visa to the Hajj office within June 16 with the copy of air ticket, but some agencies are yet submit their pilgrim’s passport. So the ministry on Saturday issued another notice to the agencies to submit their passports with copy of air ticket copy immediately.
This year, around 650 Hajj agencies will send 127,198 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj.
Meanwhile, the Saudi Airlines has already issued some 45,000 tickets out of a total of 63,599 tickets for only some Hajj agencies giving the chance of syndication.
As per a deal between Biman Bangladesh Airlines and the Saudi Airlines, both airlines would carry half of Hajj pilgrims this year. Of the 127,198 Hajj aspirants, Saudi Airlines will carry about 65,000 Bangladeshi pilgrims and Biman the rest.
As per rule, each selected agency will get maximum 2000-3000 Hajj tickets for sale. But it is alleged that only some particular agencies have already got most of tickets. How could they get such a big number of Saudi Airlines’ tickets, depriving other HAAB members, it was further alleged.
“We don’t provide illegal facilities to anyone” Omar Khayyam, Sales and Marketing Manager of the Dhaka Office of Saudi Airlines, told The New Nation, when his attention was drawn to the allegation.
