Hajj: NAHCON airlifts 41,000 in 14 days, denies suspending Flynas

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) said it has airlifted 41, 568 pilgrims back home with 110 flights since September 28 when it commenced return trips.

Besides, the commission also denied suspending the Flynas Airline from airlifting of pilgrims.

Commissioner of Operations of the commission Alhaji Ibrahim Modibbo Saleh said this yesterday in Makkah at a press conference on operational activities of the 2015 Hajj exercise.

He said the commission has completed the airlift of Kwara and Gombe states pilgrims and that only about 150 pilgrims remained for Nasarawa State to complete its own airlift.

Meanwhile, spokesman of the commission, Alhaji Uba Mana, said in a statement yesterday that reports that the leader of the Central Coordinating Committee of this year’s hajj and Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II has suspended Flynas was not true.

“The story is not true as no such action has been invoked. What has happened in tradition during hajj airlift exercise where NAHCON reserved the right to call for intervention flights, where it observes challenges on the part of any airline involved in the operations,” Uba said.

He said NAHCON directed Flynas to use sister airlines to complement its operations so as to recover lost flights and not to subject the pilgrims to unnecessary delays in the holy land.