BSS, Dhaka :The Bangladesh Biman Airlines Ltd will start its return hajj flights operation from today to bring back Bangladeshi hajj pilgrims from Saudi Arabia.”We will bring back 419 hajj pilgrims today (Thursday) by our first return hajj flights ‘BG-2012′ that is scheduled to take off from Jeddah at 10:30am local time, a Biman’s spokesperson told BSS yesterday. The national flag carrier will operate one-monthlong hajj return flights till November 8 with total of 134 flights to bring back half of the total Bangladeshi hajj pilgrims, she said. The Biman has declared extra baggage carrying facilities for the hajj pilgrims on the return flights. As per the new offer, each pilgrims will be eligible to carry maximum 40 kg in checked baggage while rest 7 kg in hand-held baggage.The hajj flights of Biman began on August 27 and continued till September 28 carrying 50,329 hajj pilgrims, that was more than the airlines’ target. This year, the Biman Bangladesh Airlines is operating total hajj flights using its own aircraft for the first time and was able to save Taka 60-70 crore, Biman source said. The airline fixed US dollar 1500 and 2500 as airfare for economy and business classes respectively for its Dhaka-Jeddah-Dhaka route under hajj flight operations.
