MALAPPURAM : The inaugural flight for pilgrims in the ‘Women without Mehram’ category for Haj 2024 from Kozhikode airport departed for Mecca on Thursday evening. The flight carried 166 women pilgrims.
The pilgrims in the category reported at the Haj camp in Karipur on Wednesday afternoon. Haj volunteers and officials assisted the pilgrims from the moment they reported at the camp to the boarding of the plane.
A total of 11 more flights have been scheduled for women in the category from Kozhikode airport during this Haj pilgrim season.
Apart from pilgrims from the ‘Women without Mehram’ category, two more flights carrying pilgrims in the general category left for Mecca from the airport.
There are a total of 3,410 pilgrims in the ‘Women without Mehram’ category embarking on the Haj journey this year from Kerala.
Out of this, 1,991 are travelling from Kozhikode airport embarkation point, 832 people are travelling through Kochi airport embarkation point, and 587 people are travelling through Kannur airport embarkation point.
As many as 1,494 pilgrims in all categories from Kozhikode airport have so far departed for Haj in nine flights. Out of this, 688 are male pilgrims and 806 are female.
On Friday, three flights carrying pilgrims in the ‘Women without Mehram’ category will depart from Kozhikode airport. The first flight IX 3011 departs at 12.05 am, the second flight IX 3013 at 8am, and the third flight IX 3015 at 5pm.
So far, 59 flights of Air India Express with a capacity of 166 passengers each have been scheduled from Kozhikode airport.
Additional flights for those who have been selected from the waiting list will be scheduled before June 9.
As many as 10,430 pilgrims will use Kozhikode airport as their embarkation point this year. The return journey of pilgrims from Kerala is scheduled from July 1 to 22 via Madinah.