Saudi Airlines announced it would start operating direct flights between Riyadh and Los Angeles from March 31, giving a further option for Hajj travel for US Muslims.
This will become the carrier’s third destination to the US after Washington DC and New York and would initially run three flights a week for the 16-hour journey.
The service is to meet demand for the large numbers of Saudi students on government sponsored scholarships at West Coast universities and also US Muslims on Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages to the Kingdom, said Abdul Mohsen Junaid, Saudi Airlines’ executive vice president for commercial affairs.
Last year 14,000 made the Hajj pilgrimage out of an estimated 3.5 million Muslims resident in the US.
Strict conditions are in place for all pilgrims embarking on the Hajj which includes special temporary visas.
Inclusive Hajj packages can only be booked through around 40 different US travel agents which are approved by the Saudi government and no pilgrims are permitted to travel independently.
