Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The Hajj pilgrimage season begins on 23 May. Uzbekistan Airways will operate its first flight from Tashkent to Medina on the night of 22-23 May.

According to the air carrier, the first flight of Uzbekistan Airways will carry 240 pilgrims.

From 23 May to 7 June, flights from 10 cities of Uzbekistan will be operated to Medina. This year, the largest number of pilgrims will go on Hajj from Tashkent - 24 flights will carry 5,830 passengers. 14 flights will depart from Namangan, 6 from Ferghana, 4 from Samarkand, 3 flights from Bukhara, Karshi and Termez, 2 flights from Urgench and Navoi, and 1 flight with pilgrims will depart from Nukus. A total of 15,130 pilgrims from Uzbekistan will perform the hajj.

Every year, the Muslim Board of Uzbekistan recommends that relatives of pilgrims not come to the airport in order to avoid collapse in the terminal and on the station square, but to see off their relatives in mosques. 

Pilgrims will arrive at the airport in an organized manner on special buses, also register in an organized manner and proceed to the departure area, where a sufficient number of seats are installed. While waiting for boarding, pilgrims will be offered drinks and snacks.