New Delhi: SpiceJet has announced the resumption of its Haj 2025 operations from Srinagar beginning May 14, marking a significant step forward after the temporary closure of the Srinagar airport due to recent military tensions between India and Pakistan, reported the Times of India.
According to a statement issued by the airline, two wide-body Airbus A340 flights, each with a seating capacity of 324 passengers, are scheduled to depart for Medina on Tuesday. These will be the first Haj flights from Srinagar following the airport’s reopening for civilian travel.
SpiceJet plans to operate a total of 45 Haj flights in the first phase from Indian cities including Gaya, Guwahati, Kolkata, and Srinagar to the Saudi Arabian cities of Medina and Jeddah. The airline aims to facilitate the pilgrimage of approximately 15,500 Indian Muslims this year.
Regular flight services to Srinagar will also resume from May 14, the airline confirmed.
Haj 2025 is slated to take place from June 4 to 9. This year, India has been allocated a total of 1,75,025 seats by the Saudi authorities—making it the third-largest contingent after Indonesia and Pakistan. Of these, 1,22,518 seats were reserved for the Haj Committee of India, while 52,507 were allotted to private tour operators. However, due to non-compliance with mandatory formalities such as accommodation bookings, the quota of private operators was revoked.
The Haj pilgrimage remains one of the most significant religious journeys for Indian Muslims, and this year, nearly one out of every 18 pilgrims globally will hail from India.
