Final Hajj Batch Expected Today



              Email This Page

            Print This Page

            Visit The Publisher's Site




The Daily Observer (Banjul)

March 4, 2003
Posted to the web March 4, 2003

Malick Mboob
Banjul

Reports reaching this paper have revealed that new arrangements have been
put in place by the Gambia International Airlines (GIA) to airlift the
remaining fourth and fifth batch of hajj pilgrims who are still in Mecca
nearly a month after the hajj.

Airport sources intimated that the airlifting of the remaining Gambian
pilgrims was earlier sub contracted to a local airline agency which failed
the contract agreement and caused the delay in the pilgrims' return.


Desperate relatives of pilgrims have complained about having been given
wrong dates for the return of the hajj pilgrims.

Lamin Jabang, managing director, GIA, confirmed to this paper that the
remaining pilgrims have departed Medina for Jeddah airport by bus yesterday.

The Medina-Jeddah drive will take about six hours.

Mr Jabang added that the fourth flight arrived yesterday with 490 pilgrims
on board, while the last flight is expected today with a total of 360
pilgrims.

He explained that the delay was none of GIA's fault, "we have provided
reliable and quality air services to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to make the
hajj a memorable journey," he said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l
To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to:
[log in to unmask]

To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface
at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~