Medview Airlines, one of the carriers designated to fly Muslim pilgrims to Saudi Arabia onSunday commenced airlifting of 517 pilgrims from the Lagos zone through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja.

The 517 pilgrims from Osun and Ogun States, are the first batch of the over 5,500 to be air lifted by Medview Airlines from three zones namely Lagos, Ilorin and Port Harcourt allocated to the airline.

The airline said it deployed two Boeing 747 and Boeing 767 aircraft to airports in Lagos and Ilorin  that would simultaneously fly pilgrims into Medina, in Saudi Arabia.

Speaking at a pre-departure briefing at the hajj camp axis of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, Managing Director of  Medview Airlines, Alhaji Muneer Bankole said the airline will complete the  inbound air lifting of pilgrims at the designated zones this week , even as he assured that all logistics have been mobilised to ensure the seamless movement if the pilgrims.

He said the airline in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of  Health and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria ( NAHCON) would sensitive the pilgrims on how to avoid being afflicted with Coronal Virus that is prevalent in Saudi Arabia.

He said children and unmarried female pilgrims that are not accompanied by male guarantors are not allowed to participate in the exercise.

Bankole said :" We have commenced 2013 air lifting of Muslim pilgrims from Lagos and Ilorin zones and we will be  flying 517 passenger today with the Boeing 747 aircraft to Medina in Saudi Arabia.

“ We are operating from three zones, Lagos , Ilorin and Port Harcourt .

“The pilgrims will be flown to Medina. As an airline we will provide clothing materials and water for the males and females.

“ We have B747 and B767 aircraft already in place to make the flight hitch free.

“All adequate arrangements has been made like we did last year  to ensure that any female that is not accompanied by a male is not allowed to board. From the Medview Airlines point of view, We would provide some materials for the pilgrims.

" About 5,500 pilgrims  will be airlifted from Lagos, Ilorin, and Port Harcourt. That is the number of pilgrims allotted to us fir this year.

“Besides the Boeing 747 aircraft we have in Lagos , We have deployed another Boeing 767 aircraft in Ilorin zone.

“We are fully prepared for this programme, we insist that all pilgrims abide by the laws, concerning unaccompanied singles. We would conclude  by October 19, 2013.

“We have done this  Hajj thirty times, it shows we have core competence in this business. We have collaborated with officials of Ministry of Health to sensitive the pilgrims on how to stay healthy and avoid any infection with the coronal virus that was reported in Saudi Arabia at the time.

The ministry of health and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria has carried out sufficient enlightenment to ensure that the pilgrims are equipped with enough knowledge to avoid any contamination of coronal virus. That is why children are not allowed.  We would conclude by weekend  the inbound leg of the flights into Saudi Arabia  and commence the out bound airlifting from Saudi Arabia from October 19, 2013.

“ We have begun the airlift with pilgrims from Osun State, Ogun State, while other states in the South West will continue in the week. We have sufficiently mobilised to ensure there is no hitch in the programme . "