JEDDAH: Jeddah’s King Abdul Aziz International Airport has approved an operational plan for this year’s Umrah season, announcing its preparedness to start receiving pilgrims.
The airport’s director general said the plan will be implemented under the supervision of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), and other government and civil institutions.
The plan aims to ensure pilgrims’ comfort and safety from their arrival in Jeddah until they board their return flights, he added.
More than 10 million Umrah pilgrims are expected to come through the airport, he said, praising GACA’s continuous monitoring of the quality of services provided.
KAIA is Saudi Arabia’s largest and the first facility to serve pilgrims traveling by air, accounting for 40 percent of passenger movement in the Kingdom.
The airport management has implemented a number of development projects in the north and south terminals to boost operational efficiency and provide better service to passengers.
Earlier, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah on Saturday launched a weekly indicator whereby authorities can track the number of pilgrims coming into the Kingdom, and in turn enrich their experiences by providing high-quality services.
Abdul Aziz Wazzan, undersecretary at the ministry, said the initiative is part of Saudi’s Vision 2030. He said the ministry was working in coordination with all sectors and preparations were in place to welcome the pilgrims this year.
He said with the weekly data, authorities will have access to the information, such as the number of visas issued, the number of pilgrims visiting the Kingdom via air, land or sea, and the number of them landing in Makkah and Madinah.
Pilgrims from Pakistan and India led the list of visitors to the Kingdom, followed by those from Sri Lanka, Jordan and Kuwait.
Jeddah airport approves plan to receive Umrah pilgrims
Jeddah airport approves plan to receive Umrah pilgrims
- More than 10 million Umrah pilgrims are expected to come through the airport
Saudi foreign minister joins Arab leaders and EU chiefs to discuss regional escalation
- They exchange views on the spread of conflict in the Middle East following the US and Israeli strikes on Iran that began 11 days ago
- Leaders discuss joint actions to enhance regional and international security; EU officials express solidarity with countries affected by Iranian attacks
RIYADH: The Saudi foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, joined leaders from Gulf Cooperation Council member states, as well as Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Turkiye and Armenia, in a teleconference to discuss the escalation of the conflict in the region.
The purpose of the meeting was to exchange views on the spread of attacks in the Middle East following the US and Israeli strikes against Iran that began on Feb. 28. Tehran retaliated by launching missile and drones against targets in several countries in the region.
The leaders condemned the “cowardly attacks” that have affected several countries, including the targeting of civilians, vital facilities and diplomatic missions, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Other participants in the meeting included Antonio Costa, president of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, who expressed full solidarity with affected countries.
The leaders also discussed joint actions to enhance regional and international security, protect civilians and uphold the principles of the UN Charter.
Several representatives from the Saudi Foreign Ministry also took part in the meeting, including Abdulrahman Al-Rassi, the undersecretary for multilateral international affairs; Nasser Al-Ghannoum, director general of the ministry’s General Department of Asian Affairs; and Talal Al-Enezi, director of the European Union department.
