Saudi Airline in Hajj Period - Case Study Example

Many competitors are on their toes eager to take a big chunk of Saudi Airlines' air passenger market(O'connor 70). In addition, The Hajj is one of the five pillars of the Muslim faithfuls. For, "Since the birth of Islam, it has been a requirement that all Muslims who are able to do so must perform the Hajj, or pilgrimage, to Mecca at least once in a lifetime"(Gearon,1). However, the number of persons entering Saudi Arabia to performing the Hajj have continued to increased. The following paragraphs focuses on increasing Saudi Airline's revenues in terms of Hajj pilgrims and Non Hajj visitors.

The official airline company of Saudi Arabia, Saudi airlines, is beset by many problems during the yearly religious Hajj pilgrimage. The most common complaints from client include flight cancellations and difficulties in reservation. In addition, it is observed that the sudden increase in travelers cause delay flight departures (Air Transport Department). The huge passenger also causes airports to be crowded(Moschis 8). Most travellers from local and international flight origins feel that they better service.

It is a normal sight to hear passengers complain of the time wasted to search for their misplace or lost baggages. The Hajj is one of the five pillars of the Muslim faithfuls. . Admittedly, there are more pilgrims that have performed their duty to Hajj today as compared to the prior decades. Two of the major reasons for this increasing influx of travelers to the Saudi Arabian Islamic holy destinations of Mecca and Medinah are easier financing and modern mass transport methods to perform their religious duty of Hajj.

Many of these travelers to Saudi are illegal entries who do not possess valid passports and / or valid visas. The pour in from the Jordan, Yemen, Syria and other neighboring countries illegally to perform the Hajj. Legally, the Hajj Ministry issues an average of eight hundred thousand Hajj visas each year to Muslim pilgrims. And this is the goal of the world's more than 1.2 billion Muslims (Geron,1). In addition, "The pilgrimage to Mecca required once in a lifetime of every Muslim physically and financially capable--the Hajj is the central ritual of Islam.

Theoretically egalitarian with emphasis on the unity of the global Muslim community, the Hajj in practice--as portrayed by Robert R. Bianchi--reflects both unity and divisions between ethnicities, nationalities, classes, ages, and gender as pilgrims negotiate physically demanding rituals that necessitate cooperation across boundaries that would otherwise separate them"(Delong-Bas,1). Bianchi emphasized that the Saudi government is completely capable of protecting the over two million Hajj pilgrims that arrive in Mecca once a year because of the increase in population. II. Research problem IV.

Saudi airlines - Company Background Saudi Airlines is currently the biggest airline company in Saudi Arabia and its neighboring countries. Currently, its fleet has four airbus A300 -600R that can carry 250 passengers, one