[عاشق A380]

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) today commenced its 2012 Haj flights from KL International Airport (KLIA) in Sepang.

The airline is operating 33 scheduled Haj charter flights between six cities in Malaysia and Jeddah and Medina in Saudi Arabia, with the first flight, MH8000, having departed from KLIA at 1.05pm today with 447 pilgrims and scheduled to arrive in Medina at 5.05pm local time.

Officials from MAS, Tabung Haji and Malaysia Airports Berhad were on hand to send off the passengers on the first flight, said the national carrier in a statement here today.

For its first phase of Haj operations, from Sept 17 to Oct 19, MAS is operating 17 flights from KLIA, five from Penang, two from Kuala Terengganu, five from Johor Bahru and two each from Kota Kinabalu and Kuching.

For the second phase flights from Saudi Arabia to Malaysia, it will be will from Nov 1-29.

The airline will use two 747-400 passenger aircraft from its fleet for the Haj flight.

Each seat in these aircraft is fitted with a personal TV screen, providing passengers the choice to view video programmes specially selected for this service.

"Likewise passengers will enjoy six dedicated audio programmes ranging from classical instrumentals, Nasyid selections to Quranic verses during the flight," it said.

A ‘Doa Musafir’ will precede each flight departure and all flight safety demonstrations by the cabin staff will be done in Bahasa Malaysia for easy understanding by the passengers.

There will also be in-flight announcement on the time for reciting the “niat of ihram” (miqat) by the passengers.

Malaysia Airlines said a special menu for passengers on the haj flights had been prepared with the approval of Tabung Haji.

Apart from the main meals, passengers would also be given snack packs for consumption while awaiting statutory clearance on arrival in Jeddah.

"In addition, there will be increased supply of mineral water and juices in-flight to ensure passengers do not experience dehydration during the air travel," it added.

Malaysia Airlines has also mobilised experienced staff for the ground handling of the Haj operations in Tabung Haji Complex/Kelana Jaya, KLIA and in the two Saudi Arabian airports, Jeddah and Medina.

Meanwhile, one of the pilgrims on the first MAS Haj flight, Murni Mohd Johari, 69, who is on a wheel-chair, will be performing the haj pilgrimage for the second time. She did her first haj pilgrimage seven years ago.

"I never expect to get this second chance. I am a diabetic and tires easily, but, God willing, I believe I'll get to perform this pilgrimage again," she said.

Another is 18-year-old Syafee Ismail, 18, a polytechnic student, who is accompanying his mother, Rosnah Abu Bakar.

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