Dubai authorities have joined forces to ensure smooth journeys for thousands of Emiratis flying to Saudi Arabia next week to take part in the annual Hajj pilgrimage.
About 3,100 citizens are set to travel to the Kingdom from Dubai International Airport, with flights taking off from Tuesday.
The UAE's allocation of pilgrims for this year is set at 6,228.
A special committee made up of Dubai Police, immigration authorities, customs, health authorities and airlines has been established to help manage the rise in passenger numbers.
Dedicated counters have been allocated at check-in, passport control and security at the three terminals to make travel easier.
Hajj is expected to begin on June 26, with the date to be confirmed by the start of Dhu Al Hijja, the last month of the Islamic calendar.
Mohammed Al Marzouqi, head of the Hajj Committee at Dubai Airports, told The National that plans are in place to cope with the high travel demand.
“Dubai Airports in collaboration with different entities, have streamlined the processes to expedite the entry and exit procedures for the pilgrims. The first batch of pilgrims will include 80 from the Dubai government,” Mr Al Marzouqi told The National.
“We have pilgrims travelling alone and they will be departing from June 20. The last flight carrying pilgrims to the holy land will be on June 24.
“Everything is prepared for pilgrims to have a smooth procedure inside the airport. There will be special departure gates for Hajj flights. The measures put in place aim to enhance the comfort and convenience of the pilgrims.
“There will be wheelchairs for elderly pilgrims as well as 15 paramedic points in the airport. Pilgrims will enjoy free medical check-ups also.”
What is Hajj?
Millions of Muslims travel to Makkah to perform Hajj each year, with many also heading farther north to the city of Madinah
All Muslims able to do so are required to make the Hajj pilgrimage to Makkah at least once in their lifetime. Hajj and the other four pillars of Islam form a foundation of life for Muslims.
The annual pilgrimage takes place during Dhu Al Hijja, the last month of the Islamic calendar and lasts for about four to six days.
More than 2 million Muslims are expected to take part this year, in a return to pre-pandemic numbers.
Arrive early for flights
Mr Al Marzouqi urged all travellers to ensure early arrival to the airport, with Hajj taking place during the busy summer travel season.
“Pilgrims should arrive four hours before the flight time as the airport will be busy during the coming weeks with the summer travel peak. Our team will complete the procedure inside the airport smoothly, but my concern is about the traffic on ways reaching the airport terminals.”
He urged travellers to ensure all documentation – such as passports, Emirates ID and Hajj permit – is up to date before they set off.
Return flights from Saudi Arabia will be in operation from July 2 to 4, with dedicated baggage collection areas for pilgrims.
Tips for pilgrims
Be aware of the latest travel regulations and ensure that you have all the necessary documents with the required validity before reaching the airport.
For those travelling with families, children over the age of 12 can use Smart Gates to speed up the passport control process.
Weighing luggage at home, checking documents in advance, and being prepared for security checks can save time at the airport.
Use the Dubai Metro to travel to and from the airport, to avoid traffic on the roads.
Friends and families using private vehicles are advised to use the airport’s designated car parks or valet service to receive their guests as access to the arrivals forecourt in Terminals 1 and 3 is limited to only public transport and other authorised airport vehicles.
Dubai Airports guests can access the customer contact centre on 04 224 5555, or email customer.care@dubaiairports.ae for further enquiries.
