Hajj Commission to engage foreign airlines

National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) is to engage foreign airlines for the 2008 hajj operations.
NAHCON Chairman, Alhaji Muhammad Musa, disclosed this yesterday at a two-day stakeholders workshop in Abuja.
Musa, represented by a NAHCON Commissioner, Dr Badmus Yusuf, said the action was necessitated by the poor performance of domestic airlines in previous hajj operations.
"We have now resolved to include foreign airlines to work with some domestic airlines for the Hajj operations this year," he said, adding that Nigerians had experienced several hardship inthe operations due to incompetence and incoherent guidelines.
"Ideally, pilgrims should not exceed four hours at the Airport before departure," he said.
According to him, the Commission has concluded arrangements with the Saudi Arabian government on the problems of accommodation and pilgrims' luggage.
"The 10 kilogramme and 40kilogramme for hand and bag luggage remains the highest weight for pilgrims," he said.
Speaking earlier, FCT Minister, Dr Aliyu Moddibo, expressed regrets at the recurrent poor performance of hajj operations in the country. "We learnt that some states come here to register, we don't want trouble makers to bring their 'wahala' here," he said and charged participants to find lasting solution to Hajj problems.