Flying Taxis Will Be Operated To Transport Hajj Pilgrims Between Jeddah-Makkah

Volocopter trials in Saudi Arabia. (Source: Neom)

JAKARTA - If nothing goes wrong, the pilgrims who are performing the Hajj will be further pampered in terms of transportation with the operational plan of flying taxis to support the annual worship of the Muslims.

It was announced by Saudi Arabia's Saudi airline Saudia, which plans to operate flying taxis to transport pilgrims between King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and lodging in Makkah.

Saudia plans to buy about 100 flying taxi units to support the plan. Director of Communications of the Corporate and Spokesperson for the Saudia Group Abdullah Al-Shahrani said they were making preparations to use air taxis as a new mode of transportation during the Hajj season.

He revealed that Saudia had contracted the purchase of 100 Lilimum jets, an electric plane that took off and landed vertically (eVTOL) made by Germany, to pick up between Jeddah airport and the airport at the Makkah hotels near the Grand Mosque and other holy places.

"The Lilimum electric plane is one of the first aircraft to operate fully with electric power," he explained, quoted from the Saudi Gazette March 5.

"After completing the necessary arrangements, these planes will fly with God's guests during the Hajj and Umrah Season from King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah to the airport at hotels near the Grand Mosque in Makkah," he told Al-Arabiya.

Al-Shahrani noted that flying taxis were able to carry four to six passengers.

"The Lilium plane has low carbon emission rates and is an environmentally friendly aircraft, making it one of the possibilities to support air travel and shorten flight time, because it has a maximum distance of up to 250 km," he continued.

"Through the purchase of nearly 100 aircraft, Saudi Airlines intends to launch advanced services to connect a number of travel destinations via this advanced electric plane, and will support it with the main inter-airport route where Saudia operates," he said.

He said the aircraft is also equipped with a unique cabin that offers several seat settings options, and is characterized by a wide space that meets the needs of passengers looking for the best travel experience.

According to Al-Shahrani, Saudia will seek to support Lilibum by fulfilling all regulatory approvals needed to operate this type of aircraft in the Saudi Arabian market.

"This is an important step in an effort to improve the air transportation sector in the Kingdom, because this initiative will make a significant contribution in stimulating the sustainability of the tourism sector in the Kingdom, through emission-free flights," he added.

Separately, Saudi Arabian Transport Minister Saleh bin Nasser Al Jasser last year said flying taxis would be tested during the hajj in the years to come.

However, officials familiar with this said air taxis would be "coming operational soon" but not this year.

Last year, Neom and Volocopter announced they had successfully carried out a series of test flight taxis on Neom. The aircraft used are reportedly the same as those that will be used to support Hajj pilgrims.

President of the General Authority of Saudi Civil Aviation Abdulaziz Al Duailej said the success of the test flight was "a milestone in the Saudi aviation sector", as the aviation industry used new technologies to further contribute to the country's GDP.

Last year, Saudi Arabia received nearly 2 million pilgrims, returning to pre-Covid-19 pandemic figures. Meanwhile, Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al Rabiah said the number of Umrah pilgrims reached a record 13.5 million years ago.

It is known that more than 750,000 pilgrims used the Haramain High Speed Train during the Hajj season last year.