National airline to carry pilgrims to Hajj

Maldivian, the national airline managed by Island Aviation Ltd, has said that they are working on carrying Maldivians to Saudi Arabia for Hajj pilgrimage this year.

Island Aviation’s head of administration Ali Nashaath told Sun Online today that the company is currently speaking with Maldivian Hajj groups to find possible ways to carry passengers on the national airline. Talks have still not been finalized, he said, as the court case involving the groups who are allowed to organize Hajj pilgrimage is still pending in court.

“It will be a great ease for the pilgrims if the national airline can land straight in Saudi Airport. Things are easier because the flight will carry only Maldivians, and the flight crew are all Maldivians as well,” Nashaath said.

He said that neither prices nor a flight schedule has yet been finalized, but said that it will be decided as soon as the court case is concluded. He said that the company will be using their new Airbus A320 for the journey, which has a total of 152 seats, including 14 business class seats.

While the national airline is preparing to carry pilgrims to Hajj this year, all arrangements for the journey have now been brought to a halt after a Civil Court ruling that the Islamic Ministry’s evaluation of four of the proposals by parties willing to organize the pilgrimage were carried out against set principles. Islamic Ministry has now appealed the case in High Court.