Kamruzzaman Bablu :
Authorities could have been maintained a smooth hajj flights so far thanks to proper hajj management this year.
So far, 44 hajj flights left Dhaka for Saudi Arabia without any report of delay or cancellation.
Delay and cancellation of hajj flights were normal in the last few years.
A total of 25 hajj flights were cancelled last year, causing huge sufferings to the Bangladeshi pilgrims. Biman suffered Tk 40 crore revenue losses for the flight cancellation.
“But this year the picture is totally different giving much relief to the pilgrims,” Mahbub Jahan Khan, Director (Sales and Marketing) of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, told The New Nation on Sunday.
He said introduction of pre-arrival visa for pilgrims also added a new dimension to this year hajj management.
Biman will operate 189 pre-hajj flights and 176 post-hajj flights this year.
The airline will operate 18 flights to Madina from Dhaka and 15 flights from Dhaka to Riyadh for the first time this year. Apart from Dhaka, 19 hajj flights will be operated from Chattogram while three from Sylhet.
The national flag carrier’s hajj flight operation begins from July 4.
“We have already taken some extra measures to smooth hajj flight operation. So, no occurence of delay and cancellation of flights is expected this time,” said Mahbub Jahan Khan.
He cited that Biman was forced to cancel hajj flights for the failure of private hajj tour operators for not confirming visas and air tickets of the pilgrims.
“Biman has already hired two airbuses from Air Asian-X of Indonesia for its extra preparation to avoid any untoward situation. “These two airbuses were hired for 75 days during hajj season,” said Mahbub Jahan Khan.
He also mentioned that Biman has already sold 99 per cent of tickets of its scheduled flights.
“Flight cancellation and delay caused panic to us in previous years. This also tanished reputaion of hajj agencies. But, this year government takes several initiatives to avoid such untoward incidents. As a result, all the hajj flights left Dhaka in due scheduled causing comfort to the pilgrims, ” Farid Ahmed Majumder, Managing Director of Golden Bengal Tours and Travels, told The New Nation.
“A proper cordination in all the segments involved with hajj operation bears the fruit. We are working seriously so that negligence of hajj agencies could be mitigate,” M Shahadat Hossain Taslim, President of Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) told The New Nation on Sunday.
Some 1,27,198 pilgrims from Bangladesh are set to perform hajj this year. Biman will carry 63,599 passengers, which is about half of the number of total hajj pilgrims.
Saudi Arabian Airlines will ferry the remaining pilgrims.
Authorities could have been maintained a smooth hajj flights so far thanks to proper hajj management this year.
So far, 44 hajj flights left Dhaka for Saudi Arabia without any report of delay or cancellation.
Delay and cancellation of hajj flights were normal in the last few years.
A total of 25 hajj flights were cancelled last year, causing huge sufferings to the Bangladeshi pilgrims. Biman suffered Tk 40 crore revenue losses for the flight cancellation.
“But this year the picture is totally different giving much relief to the pilgrims,” Mahbub Jahan Khan, Director (Sales and Marketing) of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, told The New Nation on Sunday.
He said introduction of pre-arrival visa for pilgrims also added a new dimension to this year hajj management.
Biman will operate 189 pre-hajj flights and 176 post-hajj flights this year.
The airline will operate 18 flights to Madina from Dhaka and 15 flights from Dhaka to Riyadh for the first time this year. Apart from Dhaka, 19 hajj flights will be operated from Chattogram while three from Sylhet.
The national flag carrier’s hajj flight operation begins from July 4.
“We have already taken some extra measures to smooth hajj flight operation. So, no occurence of delay and cancellation of flights is expected this time,” said Mahbub Jahan Khan.
He cited that Biman was forced to cancel hajj flights for the failure of private hajj tour operators for not confirming visas and air tickets of the pilgrims.
“Biman has already hired two airbuses from Air Asian-X of Indonesia for its extra preparation to avoid any untoward situation. “These two airbuses were hired for 75 days during hajj season,” said Mahbub Jahan Khan.
He also mentioned that Biman has already sold 99 per cent of tickets of its scheduled flights.
“Flight cancellation and delay caused panic to us in previous years. This also tanished reputaion of hajj agencies. But, this year government takes several initiatives to avoid such untoward incidents. As a result, all the hajj flights left Dhaka in due scheduled causing comfort to the pilgrims, ” Farid Ahmed Majumder, Managing Director of Golden Bengal Tours and Travels, told The New Nation.
“A proper cordination in all the segments involved with hajj operation bears the fruit. We are working seriously so that negligence of hajj agencies could be mitigate,” M Shahadat Hossain Taslim, President of Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) told The New Nation on Sunday.
Some 1,27,198 pilgrims from Bangladesh are set to perform hajj this year. Biman will carry 63,599 passengers, which is about half of the number of total hajj pilgrims.
Saudi Arabian Airlines will ferry the remaining pilgrims.
