Saudia plans air taxis for Hajj pilgrims

Pilgrims visiting Mecca will soon be able to travel from Jeddah to the Muslim holy city by air taxi, Saudia, formally Saudi Arabian Airlines, has revealed.

The Saudi national carrier is preparing to buy around 100 aircraft to operate the service for Hajj pilgrims, Saudia Group spokesman Abdullah Al-Shahrani said.

The aircraft are set to be German-made electrical vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) Lilium jets, which will shuttle passengers between Jeddah's King Abdulaziz Airport and hotels in Makkah.

Each Lilium jet can carry four to six passengers, travelling to a maximum distance of 250 km.

“The electric plane Lilium is one of the first aircraft that operates entirely on electric power. After completing the necessary arrangements, these planes will fly with the guests of God during Hajj and Umrah seasons from King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah to the airstrips in hotels near the Grand Mosque in Makkah,” Al-Shahrani told Al-Arabiya.

Although plans are initially underway for transporting pilgrims, Saudia has plans to use the aircraft for several destinations in the kingdom.

 “This is an important step in the framework of efforts to improve the air transport sector in the Kingdom, as this initiative will contribute significantly to stimulating the sustainability of the tourism sector in the Kingdom, through emissions-free aviation,” Al-Shahrani said.