Saudi orders Bellview to evacuate pilgrims

04.01.2008

Saudi Arabian aviation authorities have ordered Bellview Airline to evacuate stranded Nigerian pilgrims from the King AbdulAziz International Airport in Jeddah.

Investigation by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) revealed that the 200 pilgrims from Ogun State had been at the airport in the past two days.

According to Saudi aviation regulation, no airline is allowed to leave its passengers stranded in the airport for more than 24 hours. NAN reported that after waiting for two days without transporting the pilgrims, Saudi officials ordered Bellview to take them to a hotel, pending the time it would be ready to resume flights.

Confirming the directive to NAN, an official of Bellview, Na’Allah Isiaka, said the airline had already complied with the directive. “The pilgrims have been taken to a hotel and the airline is shouldering their accommodation and feeding,” he said.

Bellview has not been able to commence its out-bound flights since the operation started on December 24, forcing the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to hire an aircraft to transport its share of pilgrims.

NAN recalls that on December 30, NAHCON fined Bellview N11.8 million for breach of contract.