Minister for Local Administration K.T. Jaleel flagged off the first flight carrying Haj pilgrims from the Cochin International Airport at Nedumbassery in the early hours of Sunday.
The flight took off around 7.40 a.m., said a press release here.
The Saudi Arabian Airlines plane carried 139 women and 161 male pilgrims. A total of 900 pilgrims left Kochi on Sunday in three flights. The other flights were scheduled for 11.30 a.m. and 6.15 p.m.
Haj Committee coordinator E.T. Mohammed Basheer and Anwar Saddat, MLA, were among those present as the Haj flight was flagged off.
