Letter to Civil Aviation Minister, 10 April, 2000

As you must be aware the Haj Charter Operation - Phase II for the return of Haj pilgrims to India broke down  on the very first day, 21st March, 2000 and the backlog of stranded pilgrims accumulated to about 4,000 at the Haj Terminal, Jeddah by the 25th March. Individual flights were delayed by as much as 74 houts 30 minutes (more than 3 days) with lack of proper accommodation, food and other convenience. You can well imagine the discomfort and the suffering of the stranded pilgrims.

I have gone into the matter and I find that this disiocation was largely due to the fact that Tower Air 747 603 FF, leased by the MEADOWS under charter to Air India, which was damaged during Phase I was not replaced by 21 March, 2000. This aircraft finally got its certificate of air worthiness only on 24 March and became operational on 25 March.

It is obvious that the return operation could not be carried out as per agreed and announced schedule without the full complement of aircrafts.

To keep the schedule Air India should have anticipated the problem and put into operation one more aircraft for 3-4 days, This was not done. This was done only after the PM and you intervened and then the backlog was cleared.

It is also true that the local agents of Air India Attar Travel Co. utilised the Bay reserved for Indian pilgrims for the flights of their other principals, Lufthansa and KLM and even their check-in staff stopped the check in mid-way to attend to those flights. This further delayed the check-in and embarkation of Indian pilgrims and the return flights.

Air India is publicly and perhaps internally, giving all sorts of reasons but, in essence, the problem arose because of non-availability of one chartered aircraft, the utilisation of the Air India Bay for other airlines and the non- cooperation of the local agent.

I request you to order an inquiry into this muddle which has caused so much physical suffering to thousands of Indian pilgrims and even to those waiting to receive them in India.

I also request that the charter company Meadows be fined for non-performance of charter contract and also pay for the additional aircraft provided by Air India to clear the backlog. This should not be added to the subsidy. I also suggest that Air India be directed to review its agency in Jeddah.

Cordial Felicitations to Indian Pilgrims, Haj 2000