DUSHANBE, November 16, 2009, Asia-Plus — Limited liability company, Somon Air, is carrying out Tajik Hajjis to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from the city of Khujand, the capital of the Tajik northern province of Sughd.
Somon Air plans to operate seven flights to Jeddah to carry 1,295 Muslim pilgrims from Khujand to Saudi Arabia; by last Saturday, it has already operated four flights, according to the Somon Air press service.
Beginning from this week, Somon Air will also operate flights from Dushanbe to Jeddah.
In all, the airline is expected to carry 2,600 Tajik Muslim pilgrims to Jeddah, using Boeing 737-800.
Somon Air is an airline based in Dushanbe. It is Tajikistan’s first private air carrier. Somon Air was granted an operating license and aviation operator certificate in 2006. As of January 16, 2009, the Somon Air fleet included Boeing 737-400 (which is operated by East Air) and Boeing 737-800.
We will recall that Tajik national air carrier, Tajik Air, is also carrying Tajik Hajjis to Saudi Arabia this year, using Lockheed-1011 to operate fights to Jeddah. The first group of Tajik Hajjis, numbering 360 people, flew to Jeddah on November 7.
According to the directorate for religious affairs within the Ministry of Culture, 5,200 Tajik Muslims will perform the Hajj, a pilgrimage to Mecca, this year. This year, the pilgrimage takes place from November 25 to November 30.
