DUSHANBE, November 17, 2008, Asia-Plus -- The first group of Tajik Hajj pilgrims, numbering 360 people, will fly to Saudi Arabia today. 

According to the directorate for religious affairs (DRA) within the Ministry of Culture (MoC), 5,200 Tajik Muslims will participate in the Hajj this year. 

The source at a DRA said that Saudi air company, Ajla (phonetically spelled) Air Limited Com, would carry Tajik Hajj pilgrims to Jeddah this year.  The company will use the Lockheed L-1011 TriStar to carry Tajik Muslims to Saudi Arabia.    

The Lockheed L-1011 TriStar was the third widebody passenger jet airliner to enter operation, following the Boeing 747 and the McDonnell Douglas DC-10.  Like the DC-10, the TriStar is a three-engine jet airliner.  Between 1968 and 1984, Lockheed manufactured a total of 250 TriStars.  The design featured a twin-aisle interior with a maximum of 400 passengers.

In all, 14 flights are expected to be operated.  The flights will be conducted from Dushanbe and Khujand – 11 from Dushanbe and 3 from Khujand.  The flights will be conducted through November 30.  

            In the meantime, Arabian business.com reported that airline companies in Saudi Arabia had said they are ready to handle the three million pilgrims expected to arrive for this year''s Hajj in December.  The pledge was made at the annual meeting of BARSA (the Board of Airline Representatives in Saudi Arabia) held in Jeddah on November 2 to discuss preparations for the upcoming pilgrimage.  More than 230 pilgrim flights are scheduled to arrive daily at Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport, Arab News reported on November 3, and The Hajj Terminal has a capacity to handle more than 3,700 pilgrims an hour.