JEDDAH, 31 January 2005 — Air-India stated yesterday that its flights for taking back Haj pilgrims had been delayed on account of “heavy congestion” at the Haj Terminal. “However, our passengers are being accommodated in a hotel. While they are waiting at the Haj Terminal, we have also provided them with meals and snacks,” an A-I press release said yesterday.
The first of Air-India 12 extra flights for transporting Haj pilgrims from Jeddah to Calicut began on Monday. The first flight carried 410 passengers.
“The same aircraft could not come back to Jeddah due to technical reasons and men and material had to be rushed from Bombay to rectify the snag,” the airline stated.
The rectification of snag took two days and the airline operated two flights with relief aircraft that had come from Bombay.
