CY lays on 42 extra flights for the Hajj

CYPRUS Airways (CY) said yesterday it was laying on 42 extra flights between December and January, which could see as many as 13,000 European Muslims transit through Cyprus to reach Islam’s holiest shrine at Mecca.

CY spokesman Kyriacos Kyriacou said yesterday the airline had always laid on extra flights to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia during the Muslim holy month, but demand was increasing from Europe.

“Muslims from France, Scandinavia and Germany know they can come through Cyprus, via Frankurt, to go on to Jeddah, and from there make their way to Mecca,” Kyriacou said.

“Every year at that time we have demand for Mecca and it has been increasing.”

The city is revered by Muslims for containing the holiest site of Islam, the Masjid al-Haram. The Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca is required of all able-bodied Muslims who can afford to go, at least once in a lifetime. People of other faiths are forbidden from entering the city, under penalty of death.

The annual festival of Eid-Ul-Adha is observed after the conclusion of the Hajj. This year it begins on December 20, although it can take place according to the Muslim calendar, in November, January, February or March.

The extra flights start on December 2 and end on January 9. Most will run daily and some twice a day each way. The extra places are already available and bookings can be made from now, CY said.

The extra Jeddah flights fall in the same period as the Christmas and New Year holidays, so CY has also laid on 55 extra flights to accommodate 16,000 places to and from various destinations in Greece.

A good part of the extra flights to Greece will cover the demand from students.

CY said 23 extra flights would be laid on for Athens, 27 to and from Thessaloniki and five two and from Crete.

The airline also said it was flexible if additional flights were required in both categories.

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