Dozens of Umra pilgrims have been stranded at Cairo International Airport as of Monday because flight tickets were unavailable.
The 120 travelers, who had arranged for their trip with the travel company Authentic, had arrived to the airport late Sunday from Damietta as per company directives, but no flight tickets were available.
A security source told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the company’s agent was summoned, and he told the travelers that travel procedures would be completed next Tuesday.
“We were surprised to discover that the company that provided us with the visas does not exist, and that no reservations were made with our names,” said Mona Seddiq, one of the pilgrims.
Seddiq said that when they made the reservation with the company, they were scheduled to travel to Saudi Arabia 16 July for their pilgrimage. The company’s manager told them the date had been called off because flight reservations were unavailable.
“A whole week passed before the company told us again that we should fly Sunday, yet we did not find any place to sit and had to [sit on] the pavement outside the airport’s gate,” Seddiq added.
A similar incident occurred with 19 other pilgrims who were traveling through Sylvia Tours.
Police complaints were filed for both incidents.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
