Tinubu Approves Three Airlines To Airlift 2024 Hajj Pilgrims

President Bola Tinubu has granted approval to three airlines to serve as exclusive carriers for the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage.

The Assistant Director of Public Affairs at the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Fatima Sanda-Usara, made this known in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

Sanda-Usara stated that the airlines approved by the President included Air Peace Ltd., FlyNas and Max Air.

She said Air Peace would transport intending pilgrims from Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Kwara, Ondo, Rivers states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), while FlyNas will transport intending pilgrims from Borno, Lagos, Osun, Ogun, Niger, Sokoto, Kebbi, Yobe and Zamfara states.

She added that Max Air, with the highest allocation, will be responsible for moving pilgrims from Bauchi, Benue, Kano, Katsina, Kogi, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Oyo, Taraba, Kaduna, Armed Forces, Gombe, Jigawa and Plateau states.

Sanda-Usara also disclosed that three other air cargo companies, Cargo Zeal Technologies Ltd., Nahco Aviance and Qualla Investment Ltd, have been approved to airfreight pilgrims’ excess luggage.

She said that the approval reinforces the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring a seamless and secure pilgrimage experience for Nigerian intending pilgrims.

The statement reads: “Consequently, the Federal Government concurrently approved the allocation of pilgrims from various states to each of the approved airlines as follows:

“Air Peace is to transport intending pilgrims from Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Kwara, Ondo, Rivers states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

“FlyNas will transport intending pilgrims from Borno, Lagos, Osun, Ogun, Niger, Sokoto, Kebbi, Yobe and Zamfara states.

“And Max Air, with the highest allocation, will be responsible for moving pilgrims from Bauchi, Benue, Kano, Katsina, Kogi, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Oyo, Taraba, Kaduna, Armed Forces, Gombe, Jigawa and Plateau states.”

She explained that the allocation of pilgrims to the airlines was in line with the subsisting Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia on the transportation of pilgrims under the government quota.

“However, state governments may choose to designate any of the approved freight companies to convey their pilgrims’ excess luggage.

“Should any state enter such an exclusive arrangement, the decision should be communicated to NAHCON accordingly.

“The Chairman of NAHCON, Malam Jalal Arabi, congratulated the approved airlines on their selection and called on them to gear up to facilitating a smooth pilgrimage in the 2024 season,” she added.