The China Southern Airlines, one of the country's biggest carriers, on Saturday started a charter flight service for Chinese Muslims making the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.

 

Nearly 4,000 passengers will take 11 non-stop flights from Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on a 6,300-kilometer flight to Medina, Saudi Arabia, said a company spokesman.

 

The service will be available this month and in January.

 

Yang Zhibo, vice chairman of the Islamic Association of China, said the total number of Chinese Muslims making the pilgrimage at the turn of the year will exceed 9,600. "There are more pilgrims going to Mecca this year than at any time in the country's history," said Yang.

 

They are from eight provinces and autonomous regions, including Xinjiang, Qinghai, Gansu, Ningxia, Yunnan, Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia and Henan, Yang added.

 

Halal food will be provided on the charter flights. Every pilgrim will be allowed to carry 25 kilograms more than the standard free luggage quota, allowing them to bring back holy water from Mecca, said Yang.

 

Air China and China Eastern Airlines are also providing charter flight services for Chinese pilgrims, bringing the total number of hajj flights to 31.

 

Chinese Muslims have been making the hajj since the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).    

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 4, 2006)