Flag carrier Philippine Airlines has set up special flights to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to serve the travel needs of those taking part in the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.
The Hajj, a yearly Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, is a mandatory religious duty that must be carried out by all adult Muslims.
PAL President and COO Jaime J. Bautista said, “We are heeding the clamor of our Muslim brothers and sisters for a convenient link to a destination in the Middle East which will serve as their gateway to Mecca. PAL looks forward to be their official carrier as they fulfill this annual religious tradition.”
These flights, which will operate within the period August 15 – 24, 2016 shall depart from Manila and fly non-stop to Medina, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. From Medina, pilgrims will travel to Mecca (KSA), Islam’s holiest city.
Majority of passengers taking these flights will be originating from Southern Philippines.
PAL will mount Hajj flights utilizing the modern Airbus A330, with an average age of two years.
Pilgrims who wish to return to Manila via Philippine Airlines will have to travel from Mecca to Jeddah and take the PAL Jeddah- Dubai – Manila route.