Pune family pays Rs 3 lakh more for Umrah trip after Riyadh Air cancels flight

Pune businessman Saleem Jafrani left for Jeddah on Sunday morning with eight members of his family for Umrah on a Saudi Arabian Airlines flight. He said the journey brought considerable mental strain and a sizeable financial loss.

The family's joy at travelling to Mecca and Medina, two of Islam's holiest cities, was cut short by the fallout of the West Asia war. Their Riyadh Air flight from Mumbai to Jeddah via Riyadh was cancelled. The reason given was continuing attacks on the Saudi capital by the Houthi militia of Yemen.

Jafrani, a resident of Salisbury Park, said on Saturday night: "We booked the Riyadh Air tickets about 25 days ago. Then the airline suddenly told us that the November 4 Mumbai-Riyadh-Jeddah flight had been cancelled."

He added: "Riyadh Air informed us of the cancellation at the end of October. There were no seats on the November 4 flight, so we went to Saudi Arabian Airlines and took tickets for the November 2 direct flight from Mumbai to Jeddah. We had to pay a lot more for the Saudia tickets. Hotel costs also went up, because we will reach Mecca from Jeddah two days before our scheduled date."

Asked about the loss, Jafrani said: "I had to pay about Rs 3 lakh more for this 11-day trip. The earlier plan was for 14 days. The original ticket cost Rs 32,000 to Rs 33,000, but I had to buy the new one for about Rs 60,000 per person. It was a considerable loss and the whole affair caused a great deal of stress. Riyadh Air refunded only Rs 30,000 on each ticket."

Asked whether he regretted spending so much, Jafrani said: "I have no regrets at all. I am glad we are able to go for Umrah. But those on a smaller budget may have had to give up their Umrah plans. I feel bad for them. I hope this war ends soon."

Jafrani's son, advocate Uzair Jafrani, said on Sunday that Saleem Jafrani, his wife Fatema, two daughters, a son-in-law and four grandchildren reached Jeddah in the afternoon.

A message from Riyadh Air said the flight had been cancelled. The airline expressed regret for the disruption to the journey and said the upcoming flight had been cancelled for reasons beyond its control.

Umrah is often called the lesser pilgrimage. It is an act of worship for Muslims in which they travel to Mecca, where the Kaaba is the centre of the Islamic faith and the direction of prayer, and perform certain sacred rites. It is a sacred journey of deep significance to every Muslim and a cherished Sunnah of the Prophet. It offers a chance to renew faith and purify the soul. Pilgrims seek forgiveness, pray sincerely and seek nearness to Allah.

During Umrah, pilgrims also visit the Prophet's Mosque and his tomb in Medina. Besides offering salutations there, they pray for several days to earn greater spiritual reward. The journey also includes visits to places of religious significance in and around Mecca and Medina.