However, the first of over 1,700 stranded pilgrims were expected to finally begin their journey back to France last night. According to French diplomats, planes were to carry the first group of over a thousand pilgrims to France. Not all were believed to be French but they had traveled to the Kingdom via Paris.

According to officials, most of the pilgrims had been able to fend for themselves. Others had been lodged or given financial help by Saudis. Some in desperate need were provided with food tokens by the French consulate general. A French official, who said they had had “lots of calls’ from stranded pilgrims in the airport’s North Terminal, praised the help provided by Saudis. “We have had a lot of cooperation from airport officials. They are doing their best.” It was reported that the Saudi immigration officials “overlooked” the fact that some pilgrims’ visas had expired.

The British Consul General in Jeddah Kate Rudd visited both terminals on Monday morning to assess the situation and advise pilgrims on what the consulate could do. She said that the main areas of assistance were to ease access to travelers funds in the UK and provide up-to-date information on the travel situation and the obligations of tour operators to their clients with respect to visas.

Asked about approaching Saudia with the pilgrims’ complaints about their treatment, Rudd said: “We are speaking to the airlines about what they should and could be doing, and keeping up the pressure on them. BA and BMI have done a good job so far about providing people with accommodation, food and water. I will be speaking to Saudia and have already made calls to the highest levels in Saudi Arabia.” Asked about the response she said: “They will get back to me. They have not been forthcoming and I will be speaking to them about that.”

Rudd stressed that however unusual the situation, the absolute priority was to make sure that visas were valid or extended. It was the tour operator or sponsor’s responsibility to ensure that the person remains here legally. “However, the individual must make sure that that happens.”

One pilgrim confirmed that Saudia accommodated pilgrims for 24 hours, “then denied us water and food. They arranged with Haj ministry groups to provide us with accommodation – the ministry haj tour operator promised us accommodation and then at three or four o’clock in the morning, they refused.”

Zunaid Patel confirmed the story. “We were denied hotels,” he said. He described how he and two of his aunts explored the terminal and its offices at night. They found no staff, even in the offices supposed to be manned 24 hours.

“We went upstairs to talk to a senior manager – because everyone we met said ‘We can’t make a decision’. We found the manager and asked if he could help and if he thought this was right – and he said ‘It’s not my problem.’ How can you treat people like this?”

Patel said that he asked for water but was told by the official, “No one’s going to give you water; next time you come, you bring money with you.” We explained we needed shelter and water for the children, some of whom were sick and he said again, “Next time you come, bring money with you.”

Patel showed Arab News photos of officials, shoes off and feet on desk as if asleep.

Mohammed, another member of the group, said that Saudia were blaming things on the British and Heathrow. “Every time we go to see them and ask at least get us to a hotel as we have women, young children and sick people, they say “Go and check the news and see what they are doing to our people.” So it looks like they are getting their own back on us.”

A Saudia official - K - who visited the group was asked why people meant to be on duty for 24 hours a day were not there and why water and any help was refused, why passengers were told ‘See how they are treating our people’ and enquiries were met with “I am off duty; it’s not my problem.”

Saudia’s line is that they accommodated people for 24 hours and that is the extent of their obligation. BA and BMI have done far more than that in line with EU regulations.

“You can’t imagine how we have been treated,” commented Faruk from Leicester who was in his fifth day in the same clothes. “No basic hygiene, no information -we are talking to brick walls. They give us information, false hopes, tell us they have hotels for us and then when the time for departing, nothing. If you ask them what do they do? Basically walk off as if they have not heard you.”

He continued: “We are the guests here – we only wish to be treated like the Saudi people at Heathrow. These children have gone down from three meals to one meal a day – less at times – because people are trying to keep a reserve of money.”

He said that everyone understood that the volcanic eruption was an act of God and was no-one’s fault but that simple humanity and courtesy meant that “You have to look after the people you have on your floor.”

Asked why not go outside with cash and simply buy the services he needed, he said; “Prices have shot up, doubled. Hotels have doubled, it’s an hour to get to shops. Also we have been told that as soon as we leave the airport, we are no longer Saudia’s responsibility.”

The British Consulate provided some welcome relief by arranging boxes of water and sandwiches for the group.

At the time of going to press, there was no information as to whether Saudia had responded to the pilgrims or the Consul General’s enquiries or whether the pilgrims had been offered any hope of accommodation and food.