SCAT: We didn’t receive an official ban on the transportation of pilgrims
Today it was decided that Kazakhstani pilgrims will be transported only by the airline company of Saudi Arabia “FlyNas”
"There was no official denial or prohibition from the aviation authorities of Saudi Arabia neither the airline nor the aeronautical authorities of the Republic of Kazakhstan. On August 6 of this year, the airline has received from the General Administration of Civil Aviation of Saudi Arabia a document confirming the acceptance of airline security program, based on which SCAT was allowed to operate regular passenger flights to the airports of Saudi Arabia", - proves the statement, received by the airline.
SCAT noted that the airline has not announced its intention to carry out flights to Jeddah only for the period of the Hajj, as it works on opening regular flights from the cities of Astana, Almaty and Shymkent to Saudi Arabia within a program that could include flights related to Hajj 2015.
"In November 2014 after negotiations between the aeronautical authorities of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was signed a memorandum under which the carrier of the Republic of Kazakhstan can carry out regular scheduled flights by the airline SCAT. Following the aviation legislation GACA, in July of this year, the airline has filed a complete package of documents for accreditation and received preliminary approval of the airline security program, which is valid within three years, i.e. until 2018. Now the airline expects accreditation, which must be issued within twenty days after the filing. For unknown reasons, the accreditation period is prolonged, as result of which only the carrier of Saudi Arabia will be executing flights from Almaty to Jeddah in 2015", - noted the SCAT.
Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Committee posted on its website a short information that on Aug. 13, 2015 in the city of Jeddah were held negotiations between aviation authorities of Kazakhstan and the aeronautical authorities of Saudi Arabia and the airline “FlyNas” on the organization of transportation of Kazakh pilgrims to Saudi Arabia during the period of Hajj season. "As a result of negotiations, there was reached an agreement on the execution of flights by the airline “FlyNas” for transportation of Kazakh pilgrims to Saudi Arabia on the route Almaty - Jeddah - Almaty and Almaty - Medina - Almaty. Airline commitments were made for the transport of the entire quota of Kazakh pilgrims to Saudi Arabia in the amount of 4005 people", - said the statement. It does not specify the reasons for which the transportation of Kazakhstani pilgrims will be carried out only by the airline of Saudi Arabia.
We talked also with the head of the Department for Hajj Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan Kanat Bekzhanov. According to him, SCAT was not allowed to fly to Saudi Arabia, as it is in the black list. This raises the question, why the airline was originally defined as one of the potential carriers of pilgrims?
"For some reason all is being kept under secret. We have made an official request to the Committee of Civil Aviation on 30 July, they we still have not answered. But Turkish Airlines and other scheduled carriers of CCA received a letter stating that they do not have the right to transport pilgrims, as permission is given only to the company “FlyNas”, - commented the Deputy Secretary of the Secretariat of the tourist area of the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs "Atameken" Serik Meyrambek .
He said that to solve the problem on the initiative of NCE were held business meetings at the site of NCE, in the CCA. By the result of a meeting held with Vice-Premier of Kazakhstan Berdybek Saparbayev, who instructed the Ministry of Investment and Development and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs not to restrict the rights of Kazakhstani pilgrims on the freedom of choice of carrier, to give them the opportunity to fly by regular flights.
Note to the National Chamber continues to receive complaints from the pilgrims, and therefore the NCE sent a letter addressed to Berdybek Saparbayev that today, saying that his instructions are not executed, and with the approach of the holy Hajj the situation is heating up.
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