JEDDAH, 9 January — Saudi Arabian Airlines will transport 779,000 pilgrims from 57 stations around the world for this Haj. The stations include 17 in the Middle East and Gulf, 16 in Asia, 13 in Europe and America and 10 in Africa.
Dr. Khaled ibn Bakr, vice chairman of the Board of Airlines Representatives in Saudi Arabia (BARSA) and director general of Saudi Arabian Airlines, stated this while addressing the 212th session of BARSA yesterday. He also demonstrated the newly launched BARSA web service (barsa-ksa.com) that gives updated information on the bureau’s activities.
Announcing Saudia’s completion of preparations for the Haj season, Bakr said this year’s Haj transportation plan of the national carrier was based on certain defined elements.
They include an increased share in the transportation of pilgrims from different parts of the world, doubling of pilgrim traffic to Madinah, effective utilization of the new Saudia fleet, and provision of the best services for pilgrims both on board and on the ground.
According to Bakr, certain other factors that have gone into Saudia’s preparations are the setting up of field groups and special operation rooms that function round the clock, equipping Saudia offices in Makkah and Madinah, and upgrading the automated dispatch system at the Haj terminals in Madinah and Jeddah.
"There’s no doubt that the efforts of Saudia in this regard will complement your valuable efforts to provide the best services for the guests of Allah," Bakr told a large number of representatives from various airlines and government departments who were present. He hoped joint efforts this season would result in the highest standard of cooperation like last year.
He added that the reduction of the agents’ sales commission from nine to seven percent was a "clear indication of the importance of the strengthened cooperation between BARSA and Saudia in different fields, especially in the context of the current challenges facing the air transport industry worldwide."
Later, speaking to reporters, Bakr said it was incumbent on every national airline to meet the requirements of the countries it flies to. "Whichever country to which we operate, we do abide by the rules and regulations," he said when asked whether Saudia had been complying with the US request for full details of passengers on manifests in advance of their flights.
According to press reports, the US authorities had informed certain foreign airlines, including Saudia, that passengers arriving in that country would be put through extremely rigorous, lengthy searches if the airlines did not provide information needed to identify potential terrorists.
Under the new US aviation security law signed by President Bush on Nov. 19, airlines had two months to begin the electronic transmission of passenger lists for all flights to the US.
Replying to another question on training of Saudi pilots in the US, Bakr said: "Our pilots are all professionals and are free to seek training wherever they want. They’ve been doing hard work to achieve their goals. Our employees have had no connection (with any incidents) there in the past or the present."
Bakr said the meeting was convened with a view to coordinating all efforts and ensuring full implementation of the directives of the Higher Haj Committee.
