The new luggage policy introduced for the 2026 Hajj, which allows each pilgrim to travel with two 23kg bags and one backpack, warrants closer operational scrutiny to assess its advantages and potential drawbacks.
Previously, Nigerian pilgrims were permitted one 32kg suitcase and an 8kg hand luggage for their return trip from Saudi Arabia. Although the new policy aligns with international airline standards, Hajj operations differ significantly from regular commercial flights.
Unlike regular air passengers, an estimated 60 to 70 percent of Nigerian pilgrims come from rural communities, and most have never travelled by air before. Many lack familiarity with aviation rules, including baggage policies. Despite the enlightenment, Nigerian pilgrims find it difficult to resist the temptation to carry excess luggage.
The implication is clear: doubling the number of luggage will double the logistical burden. Airlines will have to handle twice the volume of bags—around 130,000 for 65,000 pilgrims. This means more screening, more manpower, more trucks, longer check-in and turnaround times, and increased costs.
The irony, however, is that while luggage capacity has increased, the pilgrims’ Basic Travel Allowance (BTA), which serves as purchasing power of the items that will be shipped in the bags, remains the same – $500
So, will the additional 14kg per pilgrim eliminate excess luggage issues?
The answer is no.
Experience has shown that Nigerian pilgrims have a cultural attachment to excess luggage. Many still attempt to carry extra backpacks, cartons, and overstuffed hand luggage. Even with the new policy, “artificially pregnant” bags will likely remain a familiar sight.
At home, state pilgrims’ welfare boards will face additional challenges — more trucks, more temporary staff, and more time needed to move luggage from airports to camps, further straining logistics and budgets.
Rather than adopting a dual 23kg system, NAHCON could have constituted a technical committee involving airlines, state boards, and handling companies like NAHCO to evaluate the operational, financial, and security implications.
A simpler alternative would have been to increase the existing 32kg main luggage to 40kg and the hand luggage from 8kg to 12kg. This adjustment provides an extra 12kg per pilgrim without doubling the total number of bags or creating new logistical bottlenecks.
Cases of missing luggage may increase, thereby putting more pressure on the hajj administrators and pilgrims alike.
I believe the Hajj policy makers should concentrate on reducing the logistical costs to align with the quest to reduce the Hajj fare.
Ultimately, the time required to screen luggage — already a major source of delay during return airlifts — will only increase under the new policy. Without careful coordination, the 2026 Hajj return operation could face an even more challenging and prolonged logistical ordeal.
Muhammad is the National Coordinator,
Independent Hajj Reporters
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