Flynas, a low-cost Saudi Arabian airline, has become the third carrier to be granted authorisation to transport Bangladeshi hajj pilgrims this year.
The authorisation came in a letter from Bangladesh's Civil Aviation Authority (CAAB) on Friday (May 6).
For the last 10 years, only Biman Bangladesh Airlines and Saudia Airlines have been ferrying hajj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.
Confirming the matter to The Business Post, CAAB Deputy Director Mohammad Sohel Kamruzzaman said that Flynas was granted approval following a recent application for the authorisation to transport hajj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.
“Saudi Arabia based Saudi Airlines and Flynas will share around 26,500 hajj pilgrim passengers from Bangladesh” Sohel Kamruzzaman added.
More than 57,500 Bangladeshis are scheduled to perform Hajj this year. Hajj flights are likely to start on May 31.
Biman will carry 31,000 passengers on its 75 dedicated flights and the rest will fly by Saudia Airlines and Flynas, according to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism.
The national flag carrier Biman and its Saudi Arabian counterpart Saudia were the only two airlines transporting pilgrims from Dhaka since 2012 as per the hajj agreement signed between the two countries.
