Ahead of the commencement of the 2023 Hajj operation, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and the four Nigerian Airlines approved for the airlift of Nigerian pilgrims to the Holy Land have finally signed the agreements on the 2023 Hajj Airlift, yesterday, at the Hajj House, Abuja.
The chairman of NAHCON, Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, hailed the patriotic zeal of the Nigerian Airlines for their sacrifices in the face of the challenge posed by the Sudan crisis to the 2023 hajj airlift operation.
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“We are not unmindful of the challenge posed by the closure of the Sudan airspace to your Hajj operation; however, I wish to appeal to your conscience and sense of patriotism not to further burden the pilgrim with additional costs or changes,” Hassan pleaded.
The formal signing of the agreement with the four local airlines- Air Peace, Azman Air Services, Aero Contractor and Max Airline laid to rest the disagreement between the commission and the approved 2023 Hajj Carriers, and remarkable progress in the march towards the commencement of airlift to Hajj 2023 which will officially kick off on May 21 with the airlift of the Advance Team from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The chief executives of the four airline organisations who were present at the signing of MoU in their separate speeches, said the call for the review of the airlift agreement with NAHCON was not to exploit the Sudan crises for business gains or opportunities.
The managing director of Aero Contractors, Capt. Ado Sanusi, insisted that the Airlines were not unmindful of the plight of Nigerian pilgrims who had paid their Hajj fare before the crisis in Sudan broke out, but they were constrained to take the decision because of logistic and operational need.
In the same vein, the chairman of Air Peace, Chief Allen Onyeama, said, “We care for the Nigerian pilgrims, many of whom we know have made personal sacrifices in paying for Hajj. We are also mindful of the fact that the pilgrims had already paid before this crisis broke out. We don’t want to deprive them of this opportunity to make the journey to the Holy land. We are doing it for national pride.”
Recall that only the Saudi carrier, Flynas, approved for the airlift of 2023 Hajj, signed the 2023 Airlift Agreement with the Commission on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 while the representatives of the four others refused to sign citing the Sudan Crises and the need to consult with their chief executives.