Charles Alcock is managing editor of the AIN Media Group, having rejoined the company in 2019. He has been an aviation journalist since 1986, and previously worked for AIN from 1990 to 2017, most recently as editor-in-chief. His main focus is on covering new aviation technology and business models, as well as international news.
Having been raised in the London area, Alcock studied at the University of Manchester in the UK and earned an honors degree in Politics and Modern History. He speaks English and French, and some German.

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Trip support group UAS helped more than 133,000 Hajj pilgrims travel to Saudi Arabia last month for the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. According to the Dubai-based group, it arranged 2,516 flight permits and arranged handling for more than 2,000 aircraft covering 31 airports during the peak Hajj season.
Supported flights brought Muslim pilgrims from across Asia, Africa, and Europe. The highest number of travelers came from Indonesia (87,657), with other countries including Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Chad, Niger, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Germany.
“Hajj operations are among the most complex in the aviation calendar and also require a lot of sensitivity,” said Omar Hosari, founder and CEO of UAS International Trip Support. “Our team is proud to support the sacred journey of so many pilgrims, offering operational precision while honoring the spiritual significance of the experience.”
A spokeswoman for ExecuJet Middle East said that while it supports a lot of private flights into Saudi cities, it is not necessarily aware of whether these are connected with Hajj pilgrimages. She indicated that most pilgrimage flights are operated by commercial airlines.
Jetex, another business aviation services group with a strong presence in the Gulf region, did not respond to questions from AIN about the scope of its support for flights associated with the Hajj season.

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UAS Provides Trip Support for Hajj Pilgrimage Flights

Gulf-based company helped operators of more than 2,000 aircraft flying into Saudi Arabia

UAS said that its flight support teams helped more than 133,000 Muslim pilgrims travel to and from holy sites in Saudi Arabia during the Hajj season in June.

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