Saudia Completes First Phase of Hajj Operations, Transports 160,000 Pakistani Pilgrims

Saudia, the national carrier of Saudi Arabia, has successfully concluded the first phase of its Hajj operations for 1445H, completing the arrival flights.

This year, 509,000 pilgrims will attend Hajj, including over 160,000 from Pakistan. The final arrival flight, SV5827, carried 445 pilgrims from Riyadh to Jeddah.

The arrival phase, lasting 32 days, was marked by seamless cooperation between various government entities, ensuring a smooth experience for Hajj pilgrims. This integrated performance aligns with the directives of Saudi Arabia’s leadership to provide high-quality services to pilgrims.

During this phase, Saudia transported 509,000 Hajj pilgrims on 3,400 flights from over 150 destinations worldwide, achieving an On-Time Performance rate of 88%. Pilgrims benefited from enhanced services, including digital offerings and inflight entertainment with educational content on Hajj rituals in multiple languages.

Amer Alkhushail, CEO of Saudia Hajj and Umrah, commented, “The operations during the arrival phase were excellent. The success was due to a strategic plan that considered travel demand and fleet capacity, enabling smooth operational execution and high-quality service delivery. I would like to extend my appreciation to the entire Saudia team for their significant contributions in enhancing the guest experience with high-level air and ground services.”

Following the arrival of the last flight, Saudia has promptly commenced preparations for the departure phase. Numerous meetings are being held to discuss optimal strategies for implementing the second phase, aiming to streamline airport movements and ensure On-Time Performance throughout the phases.