Several airlines have shown interest in providing the city baggage check-in service to foreign Haj pilgrims in coordination with cargo companies as the service has proved helpful to airlines in carrying out smooth operation of their out-going Haj flights without delay.

Sami Hassan Yahya Matari, general manager of Alpha Cargo Services, said his company was ready to extend the city check-in service for airlines in a more resourceful and organized manner to ensure the comfort of the guests of God.

“Following the successful operation with Air India in 2013, Biman Airlines of Bangladesh has signed a deal with us this year to provide the service,” Matari told Arab News.

The service will benefit thousands of Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Indonesian, Turkish, Malaysian and African pilgrims this year, and will help reduce overcrowding of pilgrims at airports. Saudi Arabian Airlines also introduced the service for the benefit of pilgrims traveling on its Haj flights.

Matari said his company has the manpower and logistics to provide the service, meeting the expectations of both pilgrims and airlines. “We provided city check-in services last year to pilgrims from Cote d’Ivoire, Niger, Ghana, Mali, Guinea, Chad, Mauritania, Burkina Faso and Sierra Leone who traveled on Nas Air,” he added.

Pilgrims expressed their happiness over the service that makes their return journey both easier and comfortable. “Our experienced workers deliver the pilgrims’ baggage to the airlines’ check-in counters at airports after picking it right from their rooms in Makkah and Madinah,” Matari said, adding that Alpha introduced a system to track the movement of baggage.

K.P. Abdul Salam, managing director of Alpha, said many airlines had approached his company to provide the service. He thanked the foreign consulates for their support to provide check-in services to their pilgrims.

He said Alpha Cargo, which is an IATA certified agent, intends to expand its check-in and cargo handling facilities in the coming years to support the Saudi government’s endeavors to improve services being rendered to the guests of God.

“Our aim is to become a dependable city check-in provider for Saudi aviation industry, especially during the Haj and Umrah pilgrim seasons. A number of reputed carriers have already shown interest in availing of our services in the coming Haj season,” Salam said.