By Deji Abdulwahab
Flynas, a designated Saudi airline for the 2026 Hajj operation, says it has completed the airlift of pilgrims from Saudi Arabia to Nigeria in two weeks.
The airline said this in a statement by Mr Mahmood Abande from its Media Office in Abuja on Monday.
Absade expressed the airline’s gratitude to President Bola Tinubu and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) for supporting its seamless operation.
He noted that the airline airlifted the last batch of Kebbi State pilgrims to Nigeria on Saturday, officially marking the end of the 2026 operation.
He added that the airline operated 32 inbound flights to Nigeria, which commenced on June 4, 2026.
Abande quoted the Chief Executive Officer of First Planet Limited and Flynas General Sales Agent (GSA) in Nigeria, Alhaji Umar Kaila, as saying that the airline transported 11,832 pilgrims from Kebbi, Kaduna, Lagos, Ogun, Niger, Nasarawa and Osun States back to Nigeria.
“The breakdown of the return journey showed that Flynas operated nine flights from King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah, to Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport, Birnin Kebbi; six flights to Bola Tinubu International Airport, Minna; and eight flights to Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
“Others were five flights to Hassan Usman Katsina International Airport, Kaduna; and two flights each to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, and Gateway International Airport, Abeokuta,” he said.
According to him, Flynas expressed gratitude to Tinubu for granting the airline all the necessary support to conduct a hitch-free 2026 Hajj operation.
“The airline assured the President of its readiness and commitment to continue serving Nigerian pilgrims better in the future.It also thanked NAHCON, under the leadership of Ambassador Isma’il Abbas Yusuf, for its excellent coordination of the successful Hajj operation.
“The professionalism, commitment and dedication displayed by the NAHCON leadership under His Excellency, Ambassador Ismail Abbas Yusuf, and his team of dedicated staff are unprecedented.
“The excellent efforts made it possible to record a seamless outbound and inbound Hajj operation,” Kaila said.
He also thanked the management of Flynas in Saudi Arabia for giving First Planet Limited the opportunity to serve as its GSA in Nigeria for more than a decade, representing its interests and providing excellent services to Nigerian pilgrims.
Kaila further appreciated the maximum cooperation and coordination of the pilgrims by the governors and chief executives of the pilgrims’ boards, agencies and commissions of Kebbi, Lagos, Nasarawa, Osun, Kaduna, Ogun and Niger states.
He said the airline deployed six wide-body Airbus A330 aircraft for the 2026 Hajj operation, explaining that four of the aircraft have a seating capacity of 430 each, while the remaining two have 345 each.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Flynas has been operating in Nigeria since 2014 under the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.
The airline boasts a fleet of more than 160 aircraft and operates over 1,500 weekly flights on 139 routes to more than 70 domestic and international destinations in 30 countries. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Isaac Aregbesola