Okaz/Saudi Gazette MAKKAH/JEDDAH – Saudi Arabian Airlines has rented five Boeing 747 and Airbus airplanes with their crews to fly Umrah pilgrims stranded at Jeddah airport's Haj Terminal. Abdullah Al-Ajhar, Saudia Assistant Director General, said two airplanes carrying Egyptians have departed Tuesday, while one carrying Bangladeshi visitors left on Monday. Sources said between 120 and 140 flights of different airlines depart Haj terminals every day. About 70% of Umrah visitors leave the country via foreign airlines. Meanwhile, domestic Haj companies have started applying for renting airplanes at Saudi Airlines offices in different regions. An official said Saudi Airlines will conduct a draw to determine which of the 30 Haj companies will benefit from the tickets allocated for domestic pilgrims. Saad Bin Jameel Al-Qurashi, Chairman of the National Haj Committee at Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, added the companies discussed with the airlines the difficulties they deal with in transporting pilgrims including flight delays. The airlines pledged to commit to punctuality and that in case of a delay, the concerned airline will lodge the pilgrims in hotels and serve them drinks. However, sources said that the airlines is unable to provide sufficient number of flights to fly domestic pilgrims who number 40,000. They require 90 flights, while the airlines provided 69 that can fly only half of them, sources said. Allowing the companies to rent airplanes for domestic Haj for the first time this year is a step that would reduce defrauding of some brokers and travel companies, they added. __
