Hajj: UK pilgrims turned away at airports as lottery chaos continues

British pilgrims as a consequence of board flights to Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah have been turned away from UK airports, because the chaotic rollout of the brand new Hajj lottery system for western pilgrims continues.

In early June, the Saudi authorities made a shock resolution to sideline conventional journey businesses and as an alternative use Motawif – a government-backed portal run by an Indian firm with hyperlinks to New Delhi as revealed by Center East Eye – to hold out a lottery system.

Motawif organised a random draw that Muslims from Europe, Australia and the Americas needed to undergo to attend Hajj this yr, set to begin on 7 July.

‘The rollout of this service has been an entire and utter failure and this firm should not be allowed to function and take cash from clients within the UK subsequent yr’

– UK Hajj pilgrim

Since then, candidates have advised MEE of reserving failures regardless of full funds going via and tour packages differing vastly from what was marketed. 

Over the weekend, the farcical scenes continued as pilgrims with totally paid packages and confirmed visas have been turned away from airports – or advised to not even flip up within the first place. 

A West Yorkshire-based pilgrim mentioned that she and her group of seven had paid over £65,000 in Hajj packages, however have been unable to board flights from Manchester airport on two separate days. 

“The flight on 25 June was overbooked,” the British pilgrim, who spoke on situation of anonymity, advised MEE. “Saudia Airways advised us that Motawif had not booked us on to the flight. The flight was full in financial system and enterprise class had 12 seats accessible.”

She mentioned that while on the airport, she waited for hours on the telephone to Motawif, which she described as “dishonest”. 

“They advised me the flight was cancelled as a consequence of a technical fault with the aircraft and to go residence,” she mentioned. “We have been ten minutes away from the airport and proceeded to go to the airport as there was no data on-line to say the [flight] had been cancelled.”

The flight was not cancelled, and took off one hour and quarter-hour later than scheduled on Saturday afternoon – suggesting the “technical fault” excuse might have been an entire fabrication.

“The agent who advised us this advised us he was the best one who labored at Motawif within the name centre; there was no supervisor or supervisor to talk to.”

The seven pilgrims have been advised they’d be placed on the 26 June flight as an alternative, however have been as soon as once more turned away by Saudi’s official service. 

‘Full and utter failure’

Scores of pilgrims shared tales on social media about comparable experiences of being denied flights from Heathrow and Manchester airports. 

A healthcare employee, primarily based in Preston in northern England, was nearly to set off for Manchester airport on 25 June when Motawif emailed saying to not go to the airport. 

The e-mail, seen by MEE, urged him “to not proceed to the airport till you have got obtain[d] a flight reserving affirmation.” 

“They took full cost for per week and stored mendacity to us all week that our flights and packages have been protected and in the meantime continued to guide a whole bunch of individuals to the identical flights and packages at the next worth,” the healthcare employee advised MEE. 

A number of folks advised MEE that that they had “wasted” a whole bunch of kilos on PCR checks, as the beginning date of their journey continued to be delayed and altered. 

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The Preston-based pilgrim added that he had “wasted” two weeks of annual depart from work too, a few of which he had paid moreover for. 

“Even when Motawif give a full refund together with our charges that may be quick,” he mentioned, referring to the PCR testing, annual depart and telephone payments racked up from calling numerous customer support brokers. 

All those that spoke to MEE had but to listen to again about when their rescheduled flights can be. 

“The rollout of this service has been an entire and utter failure and this firm should not be allowed to function and take cash from clients within the UK subsequent yr,” the West Yorkshire-based pilgrim mentioned.

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“I implore the All-Occasion Parliamentary Group on Hajj and Umrah to look into what has and is going on this yr and advise and act accordingly with British pursuits at coronary heart.”

On Monday, Seif Usher, British consul-general in Jeddah, tweeted: “We’re conscious that many British Hajj pilgrims are nonetheless dealing with issues with regards flights, logistics and resort bookings.”

He added that he recognised this had prompted anxiousness, and that the UK authorities had raised the problems with Saudi authorities. 

Center East Eye has reached out to Motawif and the Saudi Hajj ministry for remark.