Jeddah, Aug 19 (Emirates 24/7): Emirates will be operating extra flights to Jeddah to help facilitate travel for thousands of pilgrims this year heading to and from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for Hajj.

The airline will be operating 45 additional flights to Jeddah and 12 additional flights to Medina from 17th August until 11th September to help serve the 2 million pilgrims expected to travel to the Holy City of Makkah during Hajj this year. These services will run in parallel with Emirates’ regularly scheduled services to Jeddah. The airline will also be operating its A380 to Medina which will also support the increased demand during this period.

The additional services are available to travellers holding a valid Hajj visa. This year, top inbound destinations Emirates is expecting Hajj pilgrims to come from are Yangon, Manchester, Mauritius, Jakarta, Karachi, Lagos and Nairobi.

Adil Al Ghaith Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Gulf, Middle East and Iran said, "Travelling for Hajj is a unique experience for Muslims around the world, and we expect over 20,000 pilgrims to travel with us this year. With a sizeable increase in demand for air travel during this period, Emirates is helping to make the journey more seamless for the scores of pilgrims making their way to Makkah. Whether it’s in the air or on the ground, Emirates aims to provide all its customers with the best experience in line with their faith, particularly at this significant time and important journey."