Yemen sees over 5,000 pilgrims from Sanaa depart for Hajj

Yemen Airways has successfully flown 5,166 Yemeni pilgrims from Sanaa International Airport over the past six days to Saudi Arabia for the annual Hajj, according to Khalil Jahaf, the airline’s acting Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Jahaf revealed to the Yemeni News Agency (Saba) that the first batch of 740 pilgrims left the Yemeni capital last week. This was followed by 637 pilgrims in the second batch and 1,100 in the third batch. On Friday, 822 pilgrims left as part of the fourth batch, followed by 1,093 in the fifth and, yesterday, 774 pilgrims completed the sixth batch.

In the upcoming days, an additional 3,034 pilgrims are scheduled to be transported via 15 flights, bringing the total to 8,200 pilgrims.

Jahaf confirmed that the pilgrims are receiving great attention from all parties, with all services and facilities provided, simplifying travel procedures and completing transactions in record time in accordance with international airport standards.

Last year a commercial flight carrying over 270 Yemeni pilgrims departed from Sanaa to Saudi Arabia, marking the first such flight in about seven years, following the closure of Sanaa airport in 2016 due to the Saudi-led coalition’s war on Yemen.

The resumption of international commercial flights at the airport in 2022 was a key demand by the Houthi-led de facto government in Sanaa as part of ongoing Omani-brokered peace negotiations with Saudi Arabia.

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