Disquiet as Med-View airline petitions Presidency over 2019 Hajj airlift

The 2019 Hajj airlift has been mired in controversy as Med-View Airline PLC, one of the approved air carriers, has petitioned the Presidency accusing the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON) of reneging on contractual agreement with it on the airlift of the pilgrims.

The airline in separate petitions to the Presidency said the Hajj authorities acted in flagrant contravention of the agreement and frustrated Med-View Airline from carrying out the airlift exercise.

Med-View is one of the three airlines approved by NAHCON. The airline during the outbound trip to Saudi Arabia airlifted pilgrims from Kaduna, Yobe, Ogun, Maiduguri..

But NAHCON through its Commissioner of Operations, Alhaji Abdullahi Saleh, had said that Med-View would not airlift pilgrims back home because of its failure to transport them from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia during the outbound flight.

However, records from NAHCON’s website indicated that Med-View airlifted 4,383 pilgrims in five days of the exercise, with eight airlifts.

Med-View insisted that NAHCON frustrated it and attempted to compel the airline to partner with a Saudi Arabian carrier, Flynas despite its partnership with another Nigerian airline, Max Air, who was also appointed to participate in the airlift exercise.

Daily Trust learnt that Med-View had however petitioned the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, the Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha.