JEDDAH, 1 February 2005 — Representatives of 11 Haj and Umrah service companies in Makkah have asked Saudi Arabian Airlines to pay compensation worth SR80 million for the losses they suffered as a result of the airline’s “negligence”.
In a joint press conference, they threatened legal action if the airline failed to settle the matter amicably. They said they would also raise the issue at the National Society for Human Rights and International Air Transport Association (IATA) to win their rights.
The companies accused that Saudia violated an agreement with them when a number of its Haj flights arrived 24 hours late with some pilgrims reaching Makkah on the day of Arafat. Many pilgrims canceled their contracts with the companies as a result of the confusion.
But Saudia strongly denied the allegations as baseless and said it had done everything possible to transport the pilgrims in time for Haj.
“These allegations are unfounded as Saudia has fulfilled its commitment to the Haj service companies by exerting extra efforts to meet their needs and save them from losses,” said a high-level source at Saudia.
“Soon after the announcement by the Supreme Judiciary Council advancing the Arafat Day to Wednesday, we worked out an emergency plan to transport domestic pilgrims and help them reach the holy sites before the beginning of Haj. We had to reschedule more than 50 flights to take pilgrims to Jeddah and Taif from various parts of the Kingdom,” the source said.
He said the airline had suffered losses while implementing the emergency plan and because of delays caused by heavy rains. “We reissued 66,610 boarding passes and operated large-sized aircraft to transport as many pilgrims as possible,” the source said.
Abdul Majeed Al-Jeraisy, owner of a Haj service firm, accused that Saudia was putting pressure on Haj service companies by imposing high charges. “For economy class passengers they charged SR800 instead of SR480, although we chartered the flight,” he told reporters. He said Saudia had refused to reimburse ticket fares of those pilgrims who could not perform Haj this year as a result of flight delays.
But the Saudia source said Jeraisy had no right to speak on behalf of the National Haj Committee. “Jeraisy represents only himself and Bandar Al-Fehaid, chairman of the committee, knows how Saudia has fulfilled its commitments,” the source added. He said Saudia had rented several aircraft to operate 215 Haj flights, which carried 66,000 pilgrims.
Saad Al-Qurashi, owner of another company, estimated the losses suffered by Haj service companies at more than SR20 million.
