JEDDAH, 23 February 2004 — Deportee traffic is declining, to the regret of airlines already hard-hit by a drop in business because of terrorism and SARS.
The majority of deportees are people who come before Ramadan, overstay till Haj and want to go back either on their own, are caught by the authorities, or surrender voluntarily for a flight home, for which they have to pay themselves, according to an airline executive.
The last category choose this route because they cannot afford to go on Haj through regular operators. This way, all they need is the airfare and some money for food.
Airline executives contacted by Arab News were reluctant to say how much of their business comes from deportees. But all said it is decreasing because of government efforts to curtail overstaying by strictly implementing the new Haj and Umrah regulations.
According to one estimate, the number of overstayers is down between 15 to 22 percent this year.
Saudi Arabian Airlines is given preference to carry deportee traffic, but other airlines step in when Saudia is unable to meet demand.
Umrah overstayers have about 45 days following Haj to return on their own, after which they are deported. “Carrying them involves some financial risk,” explained one airline manager. “For example, they could be apprehended on the way to the airport, or before the date of their flight. In that case we lose out,” he added.
