By Mohamed Attia
EgyptAir continues the phase of returning the pilgrims from the holy lands until next July 5. It is planned that the company will operate 274 flights during the return phase, with 141 flights from Jeddah Airport and 133 flights from Medina Airport, to transport more than 60,000 pilgrims.
The national company also begins today, Saturday, until next July 5, the return phase for Guinean pilgrims from Jeddah Airport directly to Conakry. Additionally, the company starts today, Saturday, until next July 3, the return phase for Malian pilgrims from Jeddah Airport directly to Bamako. The Bamako and Conakry flights will be operated using the company’s latest Boeing B787-9 aircraft, known as the Dreamliner, which features the highest levels of comfort and luxury and can accommodate 309 passengers.
EgyptAir has emphasised to its customers the importance of following a set of guidelines during the return journey, the most important of which is the necessity to be present at the pilgrims’ city in Jeddah six hours before the departure time and at Medina Airport six hours before the departure time.
Two bags are allowed, each not exceeding 23 kilogrammes, and a hand luggage weighing 8 kilogrammes. The excess weight will be charged in cash. Also allowed is a bottle of Zamzam water authorized by the Saudi authorities (Saqia Zamzam). Cloth bags and sacks are strictly prohibited, in addition to the necessity of adhering to health procedures and presenting the required certificates.
On his part, Air Marshal Mohamed Abbas Helmy, Minister of Civil Aviation, directed the need to take all necessary measures to provide services and facilities to the pilgrims during the return phase from Saudi airports to Egyptian airports, ensuring smooth flights and regular operations. He emphasised that the Ministry of Civil Aviation operates under a comprehensive and well-planned strategy that was pre-established to coordinate with all parties to provide all facilities for pilgrims at Cairo International Airport and Egyptian airports during the return phase.
Meanwhile, Amadou Oury Bah, Prime Minister of Guinea, along with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of State for Religious Affairs of Guinea, praised the role of the national carrier EgyptAir in transporting Conakry pilgrims directly to the holy lands this year, after a 12-year absence from the Guinean market.
Officials from the friendly state expressed their happiness with the return of EgyptAir to the Guinean market, praising the excellent level of service provided by EgyptAir in transporting Conakry pilgrims on its latest Boeing B787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, as well as the national company’s role in strengthening Egyptian relations with the African continent countries.
Engineer Yehia Zakaria, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the EgyptAir Holding Company, stated that winning this year to transport more than 15,000 pilgrims from Guinea and Mali to and from Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj confirms the national company’s leadership within the African continent as the first airline established in Africa and the seventh in the world since May 7, 1932.
Zakaria expressed his happiness with the trust of the governments of Guinea and Mali in the capabilities of the Egyptian air carrier to transport the pilgrims of the two countries, confirming EgyptAir’s ability to bear this responsibility and meet the desires of all its customers around the world, especially during the Hajj season.
Pilot Mohamed Moussa, Chairman and CEO of EgyptAir Airlines, added that it is an honour for us to harness all capabilities to serve the pilgrims from African countries traveling on our flights this year to perform this blessed rite, whether on our regular network or special flights or travelers through transit.
In the same context, Cairo Airport Company has completed all necessary preparations for the return phase of the pilgrims inside the seasonal hall designated for EgyptAir and Terminal 2 designated for Saudi Airlines flights.
The preparations for the return phase of the pilgrims included emphasising several measures, such as allocating work teams from the public relations department of Cairo Airport Company and EgyptAir working around the clock inside the arrival halls, and allocating work teams to serve passengers in the passport area to assist the pilgrims and provide all necessary facilities for them. This includes providing enough baggage handlers for Hajj flights, passenger service staff to receive returning pilgrim groups, as well as providing enough wheelchairs to serve people of determination and the elderly, and sufficient staff and baggage trolleys (self-service).
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