Tehran: The CEO of Iran's national carrier Homa announced that 27,810 Iranian pilgrims have successfully returned home on 234 flights as part of the Hajj return operation.
According to Islamic Republic News Agency, Captain Taher Abdollahi detailed the airline's performance during the return flights conducted between June 1 and June 14. The flights operated from Saudi Arabia's Jeddah airport to six destinations across Iran, including Tehran, Mashhad, Shiraz, Gorgan, Zahedan, and Isfahan.
Abdollahi stated that the operation was extended by one day following a temporary closure of Iranian airspace on June 8, which extended the mission to a total of 13 days. He noted that approximately 60 percent of the flights were completed on schedule, though some departures experienced delays due to Iran's specific circumstances and airspace restrictions.
The Iran Air chief highlighted that the busiest day of the operation was June 11, with the airline operating 26 flights and transporting 3,115 pilgrims back to Iran. As of Saturday, Abdollahi reported that 21,810 pilgrims had returned home, with the last groups scheduled to return on nine flights on June 14, marking the conclusion of the operation.