By the 19th day of the 2024 Hajj airlift, 37,102 pilgrims have been successfully transported to Saudi Arabia. This figure excludes officials and other Hajj industry stakeholders involved in the operations.
Since the inaugural flight, Hajj flights have been departing as planned, initially with three flights per day. This frequency gradually increased to a maximum of six flights daily.
Currently, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) runs between four to six flights per day, depending on the schedule.
Approximately 13,176 pilgrims are yet to be airlifted, a number expected to decrease significantly by the end of today.
A detailed breakdown shows one remaining flight each from Kaduna, Gombe, Borno, Zamfara, Adamawa, Kebbi, and the Federal Capital Territory, with 33 pilgrims still on the ground.
All South-South states will be airlifted in a single flight with available seats, while Taraba, with slightly over 1,000 pilgrims, has yet to commence its airlift.
States like Kwara, Jigawa, Niger, and Sokoto are steadily continuing their airlift operations. As per the airlift agreement, all carriers have deployed the agreed number of aircraft. Max Air has provided two operational aircraft, with one additional aircraft on standby.
Despite the ongoing strike by the National Labour Congress, which has caused concern among some pilgrims, NAHCON has assured that the strike will not disrupt the Hajj airlift. NAHCON projects that all pilgrims will be transported to Saudi Arabia before June 10, 2024.
