The Ministry of Religious Affairs has allocated preliminary quotas among three airlines for transporting Bangladeshi pilgrims during 2027 Hajj season.
Under the allocation, state-owned Biman Bangladesh Airlines will carry 50 per cent of the pilgrims, Saudi Arabian Airlines will transport 35 per cent, and Flynas Airlines will transport 15 per cent.
An official letter outlining the distribution was issued to the three carriers on Tuesday by the Hajj-3 (Umrah) branch of the ministry.
According to the letter, the bilateral Hajj agreement for 2027 between Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh is scheduled to be signed between 6 and 11 November.
Whilst the final headcount of Bangladeshi pilgrims will be confirmed only after the signing of the agreement, the preliminary quotas have been allocated in advance to facilitate early transport arrangements.
Under the ministry’s directives, the airlines must ensure that 80 per cent of their allocated pilgrims travel via Jeddah Airport in Saudi Arabia and the remaining 20 per cent via Madinah Airport.
Pilgrims must be carried on dedicated flights at the airfares fixed under the government-announced Hajj package, with no additional fare permitted for business class seats on these dedicated flights.
Airlines are required to draft flight schedules on an equitable basis within 15 days of quota allocation and submit them for approval to General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of Saudi Arabia, whilst providing a copy to the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
Once approved by GACA and Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), the schedules must be published on the airlines’ official websites and Hajj portals.
In terms of ticketing procedures, airlines must convey their decisions on ticket requests from agencies within 48 hours of receipt and issue tickets within two days of receiving the pay order.
Following issuance, ticket details must be entered into the e-Hajj system as well as on the airlines’ own websites.
Concurrently, pilgrims must receive an SMS containing their PNR, ticket number, and flight number.
The airlines must inform the Ministry of Religious Affairs in writing at least one month prior to the commencement of Hajj flights regarding their readiness with e-Hajj data entry, ticket sales SMS services, and other operational preparations.
The ministry also outlined mandatory refund directives in the event of a pilgrim’s death. If a pilgrim dies prior to departure for Hajj, the airline must issue a full refund for the ticket.
If a registered family member accompanying the deceased decide not to perform Hajj, their airfare must also be fully refunded. If a pilgrim passes away after arriving in Saudi Arabia, 50 per cent of the ticket money must be refunded to their family.
In cases where a pilgrim is unable to travel due to an accident, severe illness, visa complications, or other logical grounds, airlines must allow passenger replacements.
The Hajj Office, Dhaka (for government-managed pilgrims) or the relevant agency (for privately managed pilgrims) must notify the airline at least 36 hours in advance to arrange such replacements.
For post-Hajj return flights, any necessary ticket modifications by other airlines must comply with the established policy of Biman Bangladesh Airlines.
Additionally, airlines must mandatorily screen instructional videos on Hajj rules aboard aircraft during pilgrim transit; failure to do so will be treated as non-cooperation or negligence in proper Hajj management.
The ministry strictly prohibited airlines from accepting pay orders or transporting pilgrims beyond their allocated quotas, warning that any violation will be treated as misconduct in Hajj management.
Aircraft used for transporting pilgrims must be wide-bodied and of high standard. The Ministry of Religious Affairs retains the right to increase, decrease, alter, or amend the pilgrim quotas if necessary.
