Kerala’s inaugural Haj flight from Karipur on May 10

The season’s first Haj flight from Kerala will take off from the Calicut International Airport, Karipur, at 1.20 a.m. on May 10. As many as 5,361 pilgrims will be flying from Karipur on 31 flights between May 10 and May 22.

Haj Committee officials said here that elaborate arrangements were being made for the smooth conduct of the Haj operations. Apart from Karipur, Haj services are being operated from Kannur and Kochi airports as well.

81 services

A total of 81 services will be operated from the three embarkation points in the State. The first flight from the Kannur International Airport will leave at 4 a.m. on May 11, and the one from the Cochin International Airport at 5.55 p.m. on May 16.

When Air India Express is operating Haj services from Karipur and Kannur, Saudi Arabian Airlines is operating from Nedumbassery. There will be 31 flights from Karipur, 29 from Kannur, and 21 from Nedumbassery.

There will be 177 pilgrims on the inaugural flight from Karipur. While the Karipur Haj flights will conclude on May 22, the services from Kannur will conclude on May 29 and those from Nedumbassery on May 30.

As many as 15,870 pilgrims are going for Haj under the State Haj Committee supervision this year. Out of them, 24 will be flying from embarkation points outside Kerala.

The Airport Authority of India (AAI) held a meeting of officials involved in Haj operations at Karipur on Tuesday. Airport director C.V. Raveendran and Haj Committee chairman Husain Saqafi Chullikkode reviewed the preparations.