KUWAIT: Kuwait Airways allocated 17 flights with a total of 3,000 seats this Hajj season, regional director of the national airlines Nasser Khurshaid announced. The takeoff date to King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah will be on September 14, while the return date will be on September 27, Khurshaid said in a press conference on Thursday.

He added that 6,400 pilgrims from Kuwait will perform Hajj this season, pointing out that facilitations have been made among Hajj mission offices, Kuwait Directorate of Civil Aviation and Ministry of Interior to make this third season of Hajj easier and smoother.

Meanwhile, director of passports at Kuwait airport Colonel Bader Al-Shaye stressed that pilgrims should ensure the validity of their passports, their Civil IDs and their residential visas (for non-Kuwaitis) before traveling.

Focus on rituals

The Vice Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Prince Mohammed bin Naif bin Abdulaziz Al Saud had called on the pilgrims at the onset of the new Hajj season to avoid anything that might divert their attention from the rites.

Presiding over a meeting of the Supreme Hajj Committee, Prince Mohammad affirmed that all state bodies, particularly the security services, are mobilized for providing the best services to pilgrims at the behest of King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud.

He stated that the Kingdom adopts the policy of zero tolerance against any behavior or act that could undermine the Hajj season. "Any violation will be dealt with utmost decisiveness," the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) quoted him as telling the committee members. He urged pilgrims to devote themselves to performing Hajj rites away from acts and slogans contradicting Islam, undermining Hajj or hurting the pilgrims' feelings. - KUNA