Haj pilgrims face distress in Jeddah International Airport

Dubai, Jan 20 (UNI) Haj pilgrims from Lucknow suffered confusion and distress at the Jeddah International Airport recently because of the behaviour of a Saudi Arabian immigration official, according to media reports.

The pilgrims, who arrived at the airport on Thursday night to check in for their Air-India flight AI890, were asked to go to the Haj Terminal at the last moment, thereby causing confusion.

In order to avoid congestion, the airport had issued specific instructions that pilgrims from Mumbai and Delhi travelling on regular flights should check in at the Haj Terminal, while those from Lucknow, Hyderabad, Calicut and other places could check in at the North Terminal.

However, for the last two flights, an immigration official refused to allow these pilgrims to leave from the North Terminal despite Air-India officials showing him the Airport Director's permission, press reports said.

UNI