Hajj Return Flights to Kashmir Begin June 2; Pilgrims Raise Concerns Over Road Transport of Luggage.

SRINAGAR: The Hajj return flights for Jammu and Kashmir pilgrims will begin on June 2, 2026, with the first flight scheduled to land at Srinagar International Airport at 12:45 pm, according to the Jammu & Kashmir Hajj Committee.
However, a new directive regarding Hajj pilgrims’ luggage has triggered concern among returning pilgrims. The Hajj Committee has informed pilgrims that due to a NOTAM and aircraft load restrictions, most of the baggage of pilgrims returning from Ahmedabad will not be carried on their flights and will instead be transported separately to Kashmir by road.
According to the notification, immigration and customs clearance of Hajj pilgrims will be completed in Ahmedabad before their departure for Srinagar.
The decision has sparked criticism among many Kashmir Hajj pilgrims, who say they were informed at the last moment despite already purchasing gifts and packing their belongings for the journey home.
Under the revised Hajj baggage rules, each pilgrim will be allowed only 7 kilograms of hand baggage and 5 kilograms of check-in baggage on Srinagar-bound flights. The remaining luggage, up to 30 kilograms per pilgrim, will be transported separately by road from Ahmedabad to Srinagar.
Pilgrims have expressed frustration over the move, arguing that they paid for an international travel package that included a higher baggage allowance. Several returning pilgrims have urged the J&K Government and the Hajj Committee to intervene and resolve the issue before the arrival of Hajj flights.
Officials said the road-transported luggage would be made available for collection at Hajj House Bemina after reaching Srinagar. Meanwhile, relatives receiving pilgrims at the airport have been advised to download vehicle passes from the Hajj Committee website before flight arrivals.
More than 4,700 Hajj pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir undertook the sacred pilgrimage this year through the Jammu & Kashmir Hajj Committee.
The issue of Hajj luggage transportation, reduced baggage allowance, and delayed delivery of belongings has become a major talking point among returning pilgrims as the Hajj 2026 return schedule begins.