Flynas, the Saudi-designated Nigerian Hajj carrier, is set to begin the airlift of pilgrims back to Nigeria on Thursday, June 4, 2026, starting with contingents from Ogun and Kebbi states. This was announced in a statement issued by Mr. Mahmood Muhammad Abande of the Flynas Media Office on Tuesday, June 2, 2026.
Flight Operations and Aircraft Deployment
The airline confirmed that the inbound flights will be operated using six A330 wide-body Boeing aircraft deployed for the operation. The first return flight will transport the initial group of Ogun State pilgrims from King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to the newly established Gateway International Airport in Abeokuta, Ogun State. On the same day, a second return flight will carry the first batch of Kebbi State pilgrims from Jeddah to Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State.
Additional Flights Scheduled
On Friday, June 5, the airline plans to conduct two more flights from Jeddah to Abeokuta and Birnin Kebbi, respectively. The statement quoted the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of First Planet Travels Limited, the General Sales Agent for Flynas in Nigeria, Alhaji Umar Kaila, as saying that the airline has finalized arrangements to ensure a seamless operation in line with international best practices.
Outbound Operation Success
During the outbound phase, Flynas transported 11,342 pilgrims and officials to the holy land in 30 flights within a record time of two weeks. Mr. Kaila also revealed that the airline has already delivered 13,832 units of five-litre Zamzam water bottles to Nigeria ahead of the pilgrims' return. The airline will airlift pilgrims from Kebbi, Lagos, Osun, Kaduna, Niger, Ogun, and Nasarawa states.
Coordination and Logistics
The statement further noted that the Flynas Coordinator of Operations, Malam Ahmad Ruma, met with the airline's ground staff in Makkah on Monday to review operational procedures, guidelines, and logistics ahead of the inbound operation. Mr. Ruma urged the ground staff to maintain the professionalism and ethics for which the airline is known, as they are deployed to airports and pilgrims' accommodations in Makkah for luggage management.
