The Haj Committee of India on Tuesday released the Haj flight schedule 2018 of all outbound and inbound flights from Delhi, Lucknow and Varanasi airports on its official website. The pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh embark on Haj from these airports.

According to the Haj flight schedule uploaded on the Haj Committee website, pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh will start embarking from Delhi and Lucknow airports to perform Haj by Air India from July14, 2018 onwards. This means Hajj pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh and Delhi will be among the first from India along with those from Kashmir, Gaya and Guwahati who will embark for Haj from the country in 2018.

The first Air India Haj flight from Delhi will depart to Madinah on July 14, 2018 whereas the last flight from Delhi airport will be on July 28, 2018.

Similarly, the first Air India Haj flight from Lucknow will depart to Madinah on July 14, 2018 whereas the last flight from Lucknow airport will be on July 29, 2018.

On the other hand, the first Air India Haj flight from Varansi airport will depart to Madinah on July 20, 2018 whereas the last flight from Varansi airport will be on July 29, 2018.

The first return and inbound flight to Delhi and Lucknow will be on August 27, 2018 from Jeddah International Airport, whereas the last flight carrying Uttar Pradesh Haj pilgrims to Delhi and Lucknow from Jeddah will be on September 1, 2018.

The first return and inbound flight to Varansi will be on September 08, 2018 from Jeddah International Airport, whereas the last flight carrying to Varansi from Jeddah will be on September 16, 2018.

The Uttar Pradesh State Haj Committee had received a total of 42,914 applications. Out of them, only 29,851 pilgrims were selected through the Qurrah or draw of lots held at UP State Haj Committee headquarter in Lucknow. However, with additional 1,166 seats given to the state, about 30,000 pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh will perform Haj this year.

Pilgrims going to Saudi Arabia for Haj this year can check their flight schedule by entering cover no the Hajj Committee of India website. The Haj Committee of India will soon send letters and emails to inform the haj pilgrims about their flight date, time and other details. Pilgrims will also receive SMS from Haj Committee of India.

The Haj Committee of India, the apex body responsible to manage all Haj travel operations for the Indian pilgrims, has hired chartered planes for the air travel of the worshippers embarking on the annual ritual. In an official announcement released on Tuesday, the Haj Committee of India said the first Haj flight from India will be on July 14, 2018 and the last haj flight will be on August 16, 2018.

“The Haj pilgrims from India will embark for Haj journey from 20 embarkation points by Charter Planes from 14th July, 2018 to 16th August, 2018 ”, the Haj Committee of India said. While the first Haj Flight on June 14, 2018 from Delhi, Gaya, Srinagar, Guwahati and Lucknow embarkation points, the last Hajj flight from Indian on August 16, 2018 will be from Ahmedabad, Cochin, Hyderabad and Jaipur embarkation points.

India has been allotted a quota of 170,525 pilgrims based on the population of Muslims in the country. Out of them 128,525 pilgrims will go to Makkah through Haj Committee of India., the remaining will hire the services of Private Tour Operators (PTO).

The likely date of Wuqoof e Arafat – the key ritual of the Hajj, is August 20 or 19. As the Islamic calendar is based on sighting of moon, the final date will be decided once the new moon of the month of Dhul Hijjah is sighted. Last year, Wuqoof-e-Arafat was on August 31, 2017.

More than 02 million pilgrims from over 150 countries, including 170,025 from India, performed Hajj in 2017. The first Haj flight in 2017 was from Delhi Embarkation Point on July 24 whereas the last Haj flight in 2017 was on August 26.

Meanwhile, King Abdulaziz International Airport’s Hajj terminal in Jeddah and Prince Muhammad International Airport in Madinah have completed all preparations for receiving pilgrims who will start arriving at these airports from 1st Dhul Qadah 1439H, the first day of the Hajj season of 2018.

Upon arrival at the terminal, officials from the Ministry of Health will receive pilgrims and give them necessary health guidelines and services, and then they will proceed to the Passport Control to complete immigration procedures.

SOURCE : ALBILAD