The Muslim Educational Society (MES) will hold a “table talk” with various social, cultural, political, religious and business organisations to press its demand for the resumption of Haj flights from Calicut International Airport, Karipur.
A.P. Abdul Wahab, chairman, Kerala State Minority Welfare Development Finance Corporation, will inaugurate the programme to be held at M.E.S. Fatima Gafoor Memorial Women’s College, Nadakkavu, on Wednesday. Representatives of youth organisations, Muslim organisations, Calicut Chamber of Commerce and Malabar Chamber of Commerce, Haj Welfare Forum, Greater Malabar Initiative, and tour operators, among oters, will participate.
K. Hashim, taluk secretary, MES, said Haj flights from Karipur had been abruptly stopped citing the airport was unsuitable to handle wide-bodied aircraft. The Calicut airport had been the embarkation point for the pilgrims in the State, but it was shifted to Cochin International Airport, Nedumbassery, two years ago.
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The Airports Authority of India had suspended the operation of Code E aircraft following a directive from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCI).
He said that the decision not to allow wide-bodied aircraft had affected hundreds of Haj pilgrims.
Nearly 75 per cent of the Haj pilgrims were from Malabar and 70 per cent were above 70 years of age. Thus the aged Haj pilgrims had to travel from north Kerala to Nedumbassery for the flight.
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