newstodate.aero
Jan 08, 2016 (newstodate): The deepening conflict between Iran and Saudi Arabia will have an impact on this year's Hajj traffic.
As part of the escalation, Saudi Arabia has now banned any flights to and from Iran, and the ban has been followed also by other countries, including Bahrain.
Saudi Arabia has however stressed that Iranian pilgrims will still have unhindered access to the holy sites, but the volume of Iranian pilgrims is expected to fall drastically this year due to the uncertainties in the current situation.
In 2014, the number of Iranian Hajj pilgrims reached 61,000 of the total of app. 1.6 mio pilgrims, which makes Iran the 7th largest Hajj pilgrimage country.
Some 96 percent of all Hajj pilgrims arrive by air into the airport of Jeddah that sees some 150 daily Hajj flights during the period.
The annual Hajj traffic is also important business for many international carriers that are chartered to provide the uplift around the world.
As part of the escalation, Saudi Arabia has now banned any flights to and from Iran, and the ban has been followed also by other countries, including Bahrain.
Saudi Arabia has however stressed that Iranian pilgrims will still have unhindered access to the holy sites, but the volume of Iranian pilgrims is expected to fall drastically this year due to the uncertainties in the current situation.
In 2014, the number of Iranian Hajj pilgrims reached 61,000 of the total of app. 1.6 mio pilgrims, which makes Iran the 7th largest Hajj pilgrimage country.
Some 96 percent of all Hajj pilgrims arrive by air into the airport of Jeddah that sees some 150 daily Hajj flights during the period.
The annual Hajj traffic is also important business for many international carriers that are chartered to provide the uplift around the world.