According to a UNI report, Air India will operate daily two special flights from Kolkata to Medina for Haj pilgrims using A747-400 aircraft from October 23, 2009 to November 13, 2009. R Srinivasan, Airport Director, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata said that a total of 10,575 pilgrims from Kolkata will fly to Medina with 420 passengers leaving daily. Pilgrims from Patna and Ranchi will also travel to Medina via Kolkata. The first batch of 420 pilgrims from the Bihar capital arrived yesterday by air. A total of 5,706 pilgrims from Patna will travel through Kolkata till November 2, 2009. Pilgrims numbering 2,630 from Ranchi will be arriving in Kolkata between November 2, 2009 and November 13, 2009.
Exclusive arrangements have been made for Haj pilgrims, including a separate AC terminal, X-ray machines, check-in counters, customs counters and money exchange facilities. “We are utilising the old international arrival terminal where seating arrangements have been made for 420 pilgrims so as not to create any congestion in the main terminals handling passengers of regular flights,” added Srinivasan. |