Dubai—Haj pilgrims numbering around 1,600 pilgrims departed on Emirates flights from Terminal 3 of Dubai International Airport on Monday, September 5.
The last batch of Haj pilgrims who are departing from Dubai are scheduled for flights on Tuesday, September 6.
The first Haj flights from Dubai started on August 24, and so far around 16,000 transit passengers had traveled via Dubai to Saudi Arabia for Haj. Additional Haj flights from Dubai to Saudi Arabia had took off last Friday, September 2, from Terminal 1, carrying 400 UAE-based pilgrims.
According to Mohammad Al Marzouqi, head of the Haj committee and of baggage operations at Dubai Airports, there are a total of 12 additional flights from Dubai to Saudi Arabia for pilgrims during this Haj season.
4,982 UAE-based pilgrims are leaving for Haj this year — 4,631 Emiratis and 351 expatriates.
Pilgrims are also provided a welcome area where they are given gift bags and dedicated check in and immigration counters. On Monday, pilgrims at Terminal 3 were seen receiving items such as umbrellas (for heat protection in Saudi Arabia), first aid kits, refreshments, sweets, Haj guide books, and copies of the Quran. Free basic health checks were also provided on the spot at the reception area at Gate 1.
In Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH), dedicated check-in counters have been put in place to handle the four extra Etihad Airways’ Haj flights, along with Saudi Arabian Airlines’ scheduled flights to Makkah and Madinah. The Ministry of Health and Prevention are to provide pilgrims with personal Haj kits and safety booklets, and a fully equipped Haj clinic has been established in Terminal 1 to tackle any emergency diagnosis or treatment of pilgrims, should the need arise.
Pilgrims will also be offered free food and beverage vouchers at Abu Dhabi Duty Free while they wait to board their flights to Saudi Arabia.
