Maiden AI Haj flight takes off from Calicut

Kozhikode, Oct 30: Air India's maiden Haj flight carrying 419 devotees today took off from Calicut International Airport at Karippur, near here, for the holy city of Medina today.

The Boeing 747 flight with 171 male and 248 female pilgrims on board from Kerala and Mahe, part of Union Territory of Puducherry, was flagged off by Kerala Haj and Local Self Governance Minister Paloli Mohammed Kutty.

The public sector carrier would fly about 7,208 devotees under the government quota, selected through draw of lots, in 18 sorties to the holy destination in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during this season, State Haj Committee Sources said.

The Central Haj Committee had released an additional 2,000 quota for the State to enable more devotees to make it to the pilgrimage during the season, they said.

Some more allocations were also expected during the season, they added.

UNI