Moves to halt pilgrim chaos

This month Asian Image spoke to a number of pilgrims who have returned from the annual Hajj. They told of a sense of shock and anger at how some tour operators charge high prices and promise to do so much but deliver very little.

More than 20,000 people from the UK travel to the Hajj every year with 5,000 leaving through Manchester Airport.

Lord Adam Patel who is Chairman of Hajj committee, he said, "A new set of guidelines will be introduced this year that will require tour operators to enter into a contract with people.

"The whole scenario is to be re-structured by the Ministry of Hajj in Saudi Arabia who will insist that tour operators reveal exactly what sort of accomodation they provide, where they provide it and ensure that what they are promoting is what people eventually get."

"If they don't meet the acceptable standards they will be struck off and will not be awarded a certificate."

Dr Yusuf Patel, of Ilford, who like many people went as part of a group, said the low standards were accepted by the community because they were fearful of complaining. He said, "There needs to be a set of standards for people who are travelling on the annual Hajj because people's trust is being abused.

"People don't want the same set of standards in terms of accomodation and service as is available in this country but a fairer one. If this happened anywhere else in the world there would be uproar.

"There are good tour operators and there are bad ones. Unfortunately not enough is being done about the bad ones."

On average pilgrims pay £1,250 and £1,500 to stay for six weeks in a room for six. This price usually includes air-fare, food and accomodation. The more you pay the better standard of accomodation you get.

Iqbal Essa, 50 of Blackburn Road, Bolton travelled to Umrah last year and was disappointed with the way he was treated. He said, "We are carrying out our religious obligations and in my opinion there is chaos and we are being exploited by a system where there are no checks and balances."

"I have written to the Saudi Arabian Government, the Hajj Committee and my local MP - yet no-one as I am aware has organised a meeting to look in detail into the situation. If there could be a forum for debate on the issue I feel there would be a positive outcome for the Muslim community as a whole."

In his letter to the Saudi Arabian Minister for Home and Foreign Affairs last year, Mr Essa wrote about how there was confusion amongst some tour operators and the Saudi Arabian Authorities and pilgrims were having to suffer as a result. He wrote: "Within some hotels in Makkah and Madinah one encounters constant pandemonium because people find themselves deceived by both their agents in the UK and their respective hotel operators in Saudi Arabia.

"Many of us cannot express our difficulties or concerns to the appropriate officals because of language difficulties. Unfortunately this causes deep resentment, heartache, tension and immense distrust towards the Saudi Arabian Authorities from the onset."

We put the compliants to Lord Adam who said, "I can understand people's anger but if you have any complaints please contact me. Write to me in any language but as yet nobody has formally complained."

"It is within people's right to complain and if people are being exploited then this is against Islam."

"I do agree though that other nations such as Indonesia and Malaysia are better organised."

A Blackburn man said he felt cheated after having paid for his room of two. Mr Patel of London Road , "I was charged £1750 for accomodation only. I was shown a video about how the hotel would look. But when I got there it was completely different."

"The room was three metres by three metres and there were other rooms with five or six people crammed in. The air - conditioning is very old and I worked out there were three staff to the nine floors in my hotel."

"I saw one 88 year-old man who was herded into a room with six other men. The room was very small, there were six beds and one mattress on the floor. He had been promised before he left he would be taken care of by members of staff. Thankfully the other hajjis were kind enough to look after him."

"All I wanted was a basic, clean room."

Whilst on the Hajj the people we spoke to said that if you complained to any of the staff you are told to have 'sabr' (patience) because you are on Hajj. Many people don't mind having to go without but do not feel some enterprising individuals should take advantage of them and charge then over the odds for basic accommodation.

Others felt there was a sense of embarrassment when complaining.

Mr Patel continued, "We are in the holy lands so we understand we must be patient and tolerable. We understand every man is equal before the almighty. But it is a different matter when you feel cheated by and lied to by people who have taken your money and abused your trust."

Twenty-three year old Iqbal Suleman of Forest Gate, London told us, "In the hotel I was in there were well over 700 people. The hotel was just not big enough. Everyone was upset but whilst on Hajj you have to show restraint.

"I saved up for one and a half years and didn't expect to be treated like this."

Trading Standards say they will investigate any complaints put to them. Chris Allen of Blackburn with Darwen Trading Standards said, "Yes, we have had a complaint this year but if people feel they have been unfairly treated they need to formally get in touch with us."

Anyone who has a complaint can call Trading Standards on 01254 222520.

(By Shuiab Khan first published March 2002)

Complaints prompt tour firms warning

Pilgrims preparing to go to the annual Hajj are being warned to be on the look-out for cowboy tour operators.

The alert comes after a number of complaints and compensation claims when promised flights did not materialise and hotels failed to come up to scratch.

Chief Trading Standards Officer, at Blackburn with Darwen Trading Standards, Chris Allen had this advice for people travelling to Hajj.

"First of all it is important when booking to see if the operator is registered with the Airtour Operators Licence (ATOL) or Association of British Agents (ABTA).

"Secondly I would advise people not to pay by cash. A credit card payment is usually better because any payment over £100 means the credit card company also has joint liability."

He added, "The best way a finding out about a company's credentials is to ask others who have been."

"Most local trading standards in your home town are always willing to help and if you do come across any problems it would be a good idea to get in touch with them. Anyone wanting any further advice can call the Blackburn with Darwen Trading Standards Department on 01254 585904."

In March of this year Asian Image highlighted complaints from members of the public who had returned from with various tour operators. They spoke of a sense of disbelief at how certain operators promised to do so much yet delivered so little.

This month one operator was ordered by a Yorkshire court to pay around £2,600 in compensation after being sued by a customer.

He was sued under the Package Travel Regulations 1992 as well as for breach of contract and misrepresentation. A group, who said they had received a number of assurances, experienced a "particularly stressful" journey with an overnight stopover in Jordan which came as a complete surprise to most of the customers.

The group said their hotel was dirty and smelly with scorched carpets and beds which were too small for adults. The bath was such that it could only be used by risking injury. The group also claimed that despite promises that they would be guided throughout the Hajj they were left to their own devices.

The complainant told Asian Image, "All the money I will be receiving will be going to charity. I just feel we have to send a message out to all the bad tour operators that this will not do. The majority of people understand they are going to suffer hardships on Hajj but what I went through was ridiculous."

"I tried my utmost to be patient throughout the duration of the journey but my parents are both seventy-three and it was very difficult for them. I made it crystal clear to the tour operator the basic service I required. I was very disappointed when he failed to deliver them."

Solicitor Mr Afzal Khalifa said, "This case is a wake up call to all Hajj tour operators. Just because they provide a service which takes people to perform a religious obligation does not mean that they are untouchable when they break their promises.

"The Package Travel Regulations 1992 don't just apply to package holiday operators. They are there to protect everyone. I hope that this case will inform Hajis of their rights and that all tour operators will learn a valuable lesson for this years Hajj."

One tour operator who did not wish to be named told Asian Image, "I understand some might get angry but some of the time things that occur isn't our fault. I hope people won't treat any of us less favourably when they book their Hajj this year."

Lord Adam Patel, Chairman of the Governments Hajj Committee told us, "We have called a meeting with all tour operators to go through rules and regulations they should be following. And will be issueing a pamplet for customers about the kind of things they should be expecting to get tour operators."

"We are hoping to get these new rules enforced this year but it is an ongoing process."

The Hajj Committee itself receives £20,000 per year for expenses and was set up to provide only medical and consular services to Hajjis. However, voluntarily the group provides whatever other assistance it can. Lord Adam added, "Anyone going on Hajj should atleast try to get a written contract from the tour operator. Ultimately we want to have no complaints from Hajjis concerning tour operators and it is our aim to achieve that."

(By Shuiab Khan - First published in October 2002)