Hajj Flakes – Wednesday, 18 June 2025 | 22 Dhul-Hijjah 1446 AH
By Abdullahi Yusuf
1. Flynas Flight XY9076 departs Jeddah to Sokoto with 425 pilgrims, bringing Sokoto’s total airlifted returnees to 7,860 via 19 flights.
2. UMZA Flight UY3542 airlifts 484 Niger State pilgrims to Minna, raising the state’s return count to 7,435 across 18 flights.
3. Lagos pilgrims return on Flynas Flight XY9014 with 423 pilgrims and 5 officials, totalling 6,951 returnees so far on 17 flights.
4. Max Air Flight VM265 lifts 550 pilgrims to Lagos—549 from Oyo and 1 from Plateau—making it 6,528 pilgrims so far over 16 flights.
5. FCT return flights begin Saturday, 21 June, as confirmed by FCT Pilgrims Board.
6. Saudi Arabia begins preparations for Hajj 2026, with Deputy Emir of Makkah Prince Saud bin Mishaal chairing a planning session in Makkah. He conveyed appreciation from Emir Khaled Al-Faisal and urged early planning, intensified cooperation, and improved services.
7. Saudia flight carrying 442 pilgrims diverts in Indonesia over bomb threat. Email warning forced SV5276 from Jeddah to Jakarta to land in Medan. No casualties reported. Investigation ongoing.
8. Malaysia, Egypt & Brazil lead global surge in Hajj air travel for 2025, with over 151.6m seats booked—up 1.2m from 2024. Top 5-star hotel stays surged; solo pilgrim travel remains minimal at 2.3%.
9. 47 Malaysians forced to walk to Makkah after visa scam. Victims reportedly crossed deserts, fences, and highways after being abandoned by fake agents despite paying RM30,000 each.
10. Pakistan resolves over 30,000 Hajj complaints, with its facilitation centre in Makkah aiding more than 115,000 Pakistani pilgrims.
11. Seven Umrah companies suspended by Saudi Hajj Ministry for transport violations; their bank guarantees liquidated to cover alternative services for affected pilgrims.
12. Fun fact: There are dedicated “crisis desks” at major Hajj terminals like King Abdulaziz Airport in Jeddah to handle emergency cases, missing documents, or restricted national returns.
13. Fun fact: In previous years, Nigerian, Yemeni, and Chadian pilgrims returning to crisis zones were documented and tagged for monitored return or cross-border transfer.
14. Did you know? Some pilgrims affected by war back home apply to perform a second Umrah while waiting for diplomatic clearance to leave, which is granted on compassionate grounds.
15. In 2022, some Ethiopian pilgrims from Tigray were returned via special UN convoys after being stranded for over a week due to airport blockades.
16. For some years, Iraqi and Syrian pilgrims were allowed to return via religious delegation flightsrather than national carriers, under special clearance.
17. Did you know? There are cases where pilgrims choose to relocate permanently to other countries after Hajj if their home is in ruins — and may use transit visas via Jordan, Turkey, or Malaysia.
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