Indian budget carrier SpiceJet launched its inaugural special Hajj flight from Srinagar to Medina on Sunday, ushering in India’s Hajj pilgrimage for the year.
A SpiceJet Boeing 737-800 departed from the Srinagar airport with 145 passengers on-board. SpiceJet said it would operate 37 special Hajj flights this season for pilgrims travelling to Mecca for the annual pilgrimage.
The special flights from Srinagar will depart for Medina till June 20. Return flights from Jeddah to Srinagar are scheduled from July 15-31.
SpiceJet said it would be the only Indian airline operating Hajj flights this year.
Earlier, Air India, the erstwhile national carrier of India, used to mainly operate Hajj flights from various Indian cities. Air India is currently run by the Indian conglomerate Tata Group, after its privatisation late last year.
Manoj Sinha, lieutenant governor of Jammu & Kashmir – a Union Territory of India, joined the inaugural Hajj flight launch event in Srinagar.
SpiceJet has in the past operated special Hajj flights from Gaya and Srinagar, ferrying around 19,000 pilgrims to and from the holy pilgrimage. The operation of special Hajj flights is set to resume after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
SpiceJet operates regular commercial flights to various destinations in the Middle East, majorly to the UAE and Saudi Arabia, from multiple Indian cities.
The airline also operates a dedicated air cargo service under the brand name SpiceXpress to the UAE and other destinations in the Middle East.
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