$250 has been agreed to be added on each pilgrim’s fare to Saudi Arabia from Nigeria for Hajj 2023, BizPoint has learnt.
This newspaper gathered that the decision was taken at a signing of agreement between the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON and the designated airlines for this year’s Hajj airlift, held in Abuja on Tuesday.
It was reported that the airlines, including Max Air with 16,326 slots, Air Peace with 11,348, Azman Air with 8,660 and Aero Contractors with 7,833 refused to sign the agreement on May 4 until the issue of paying extra charges due to the Sudan crisis is resolved.
Inside sources told BizPoint that the decision was taken in the interest of both parties to prevent the airlines from from incurring losses due to the closure of Sudan airspace as a result of the ongoing conflict in the country.
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The airlines would have to go through another route which from all indications is longer than passing through Sudan by at least three hours.
In this light, according to the source, when the meeting resumed today, it was unanimously agreed that $250 would be added on each pilgrim’s Hajj fare.
“As i said earlier that the signing of agreement, which couldn’t happened in the last meeting due to the issue of paying additional money as a result of Sudan conflict which caused the journey to be longer.
The meeting had resueed today and it has been agreed to pay $250 for each pilgrim.
“You know, it is difficult, after the exorbitant Hajj fare, to ask the pilgrims to add additional money on the one they paid.
“Due to this conflict in Sudan, which forced the country to shutdown the airspace, the journey to Saudi Arabia from Nigeria has been elongated by at least three hours.
“We have to follow other routes; you have to pass through over five countries, which makes the journey longer. And each country you are passing, you have to pay charges for using her airspace.
“As such, it was agreed today that $250 will be added on each pilgrim’s fare,” the source disclosed.
The source added that NAHCON, which made the announcement, did not state who would pay the additional money on the pilgrims’ fare.
“We do not know who would pay the $250. We don’t know if it is the NAHCON or the federal government,” the source added.
But the sources disclosed that in the agreement, it was agreed that if normalcy returns in Sudan and the airspace opened before the Hajj airlift, the $250 would be refunded.
