Pilgrims fate uncertain as Saudi Arabia set to close airspace

Pilgrims fate uncertain as Saudi Arabia set to close airspace

PUNCH

About three days to the reported closure of Saudi Arabia airspace, thousands of intending pilgrims from Nigeria are still stranded at Lagos airport.

The PUNCH had reported on Sunday that pilgrims going through the licensed Hajj and Umrah operators were stranded at different airports across the country.

Several intending pilgrims had been passing the night at the Lagos airport due to flight hitches.

Flight delays by Arik Air affected a number of pilgrims. The airline announced on Monday it was set to airlift the pilgrims.

“This is not the first time I would be travelling for Hajj, but this year is different, I’ve been here since Tuesday and still don’t know when I will be airlifted, this is so unfair. I would not have believed it if I was told that I would still be in Nigeria by this time,” a pilgrim who gave her name as Alhaja Bilikisu, told our correspondent.

Another aggrieved pilgrim, Musa Dakoko said, “Why open one to sleep in an open space when a simple communication as to change in plans could have worked? I have always dreamed of travelling for Hajj but these people want to kill that dream for me this year. I feel very pained and frustrated.”

Arik Air, which has only airlifted 300 out of about 7,000 passengers allocated to it by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, promised to resume the airlift within 24 hours, this was on Saturday when our correspondent contacted the PR & Communications Manager, Adebanji Ola.

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