Haj seats put on offer for US$900

Haj seats put on offer for US$900

JAKARTA: Seats for haj pilgrims who have purchased de luxe
packages, known as ONH Plus, are being offered by travel agents
at prices of up to US$900, with the Ministry of Religious Affairs
fail to control the practice.

"We cannot prove that the seats are being auctioned like that
by the travel agents because most people are willing to pay that
much just to secure a seat," the ministry's haj coordinator
Arifin Djayadiningrat said on Sunday.

For the 2004 haj season, the country has secured a quota of
235,000. Of this number, 12,000 seats have been reserved for
pilgrims who can afford to fork out extra on de luxe packages.

The de luxe packages from travel agents cost around $4,500 per
person, and they have to pay an extra $900 to prevent their seats
being given to other people.

Unlike the regular packages organized by the government, the
de luxe packages entail five-star hotel accommodation and fewer
days in Saudi Arabia. --Antara