The first group of Algerian Hajjis (Muslim pilgrims) left Sunday morning the international airport of Oran (432-km west of Algiers) for the Holy Places of Islam in Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj (pilgrimage).
The group comprises 256 men and women, including members of the Algerian delegation.
The farewell ceremony was attended by the director of the National Office of Hajj and Umrah, Cheikh Berbara.
The regional director of the national airline company Air Algerie, Fouad Chentouf told APS that several measures have been taken to ensure better organization of all Hajj flights and avoid delays.
Twenty-seven flights are scheduled for Hajj 2014 from Oran's international airport, three more than last year, said Chentouf.