Over 19 million pilgrims and passengers flew during Hajj season 1446, says GACA
Image used for illustrative purpose. Photo: SPA
Jeddah: The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) shared exciting news about this year’s Hajj season 1446 AH. From April 29 to July 10, more than 19 million people traveled by air in and out of Saudi Arabia for Hajj and other reasons.
There were over 128,000 flights, with help from 116 different airlines from around the world. GACA worked hard to make sure everything at the airports went smoothly.
More than 1.4 million pilgrims arrived through six major international airports in Saudi Arabia. These included:
- King Abdulaziz Airport in Jeddah
- Prince Mohammad Airport in Madinah
- King Khalid Airport in Riyadh
- King Fahd Airport in Dammam
- Taif Airport
- Yanbu Airport
Special areas at these airports were used only for pilgrims to help make their journey easier and faster.
Thousands helped make it happen
More than 18,000 people worked to help pilgrims. These workers came from over 25 government and security organizations. They made sure everyone had a safe, smooth, and comfortable travel experience.
Several helpful programs made travel even better this year:
Passengers with No Bags: Over 1 million pilgrims used a service where their luggage was sent straight from the airport to their hotel. More than 1.6 million bags and 856,000 bottles of Zamzam water were delivered.
Train travel to holy sites: A new connection between Hajj flights and the Haramain High Speed Railway helped 253,000 pilgrims travel quickly between the airports and the holy places.
This successful Hajj season is part of a big plan called Vision 2030. Saudi Arabia wants to become a major air travel center. GACA’s goals include:
- Helping 330 million passengers travel each year
- Shipping 4.5 million tons of cargo
- Connecting flights to 250 cities around the world
Ceremony honors teamwork
A special event was held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Jeddah to celebrate the hard work of everyone who helped during Hajj. GACA President Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailej thanked the teams and organizations for their efforts in making the season a success.
