Saturday, January 13, 2024
Air Taxis to transport Pilgrims from Jeddah to Makkah in a record time
An official from Saudia said that Saudi Arabia's national airline plans to run an air service to take pilgrims from the city of Jeddah to the Makkah Grand Mosque, which is the holiest place in Islam. Most Viewed : Insurance service for new Domestic Workers in Saudi Arabia starting from 1st February
Abdullah Al Shahrani, director of the group's corporate communication, told Saudi news outlet Akhbar24 that Saudi Airlines signed an agreement with the German company "Lilium," which made the first fully electric eVTOL vertical take-off and landing aerial vehicle, to buy 100 planes so that they can build a network of destinations for this type of planes all over the Kingdom.
- These jets will be used to transport people between King Abdulaziz airport in Jeddah and landing strips in Makkah hotels near the Grand Mosque and other holy places.
- The official also said that the eVTOL aircraft can fit up to six people, covers a maximum distance of 200 km and relies on landing vertically with the help of its small engines. However, he did not say when the service would start.
- Al Shahrani said that the Saudi Airlines is working with the country's legal system to get flying permits for this type of electric aircraft. They hope that this will be a "qualitative" change in transportation during the Umrah (a minor pilgrimage) and Hajj (an yearly pilgrimage) seasons. Trending : Saudi Arabia unveils Aquellum, Neom's new mega mountain resort
- He said that these aircrafts are being used for the first time in the Kingdom and that the company would look at the experience after getting the planes they had hired. In terms of growing the number of them or switching the types of planes that they utilize and using a newer version with more seats and faster speeds, this shows that they plan to use them all over the Kingdom.
- Last year, almost 2 million people from all over the world went to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj, an important Islamic duty. This was the same number of people who went as before the pandemic.
- A record 13.5 million people went on the Umrah pilgrimage last year, according to Tawfiq Al Rabiah, the Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah, who spoke earlier this week. See Also : Saudi Arabia to divide Makkah Grand Mosque in coding for easier access
- Saudi Arabia, which is where Islam began, has opened a lot of new facilities for Muslims who want to come for Umrah in the past few months. People with visas can enter the kingdom by land, air, or sea regardless of the method.
- Saudi Arabia now lets its citizens apply to bring friends from other countries to visit the kingdom and do Umrah. Women who are on pilgrimages no longer have to be accompanied by their Mahram (Male Guardians).
- Additionally, the kingdom has said that expats living in Gulf Cooperation Council countries can apply for a tourist visa and perform Umrah, no matter what their job is. Follow Saudi Expatriates Instagram channel
