General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), Saudi Arabia, has warned airlines against transporting female pilgrims under the age of 45 without a legal guardian. The GACA said that violating airlines would be fined SR 50,000, Saudi Gazette reported.
Violating female pilgrims would be denied entry and sent back on the same flight. The airline would be fined and would bear the expenses for any violating passenger's stay at the airport's transit area until they were returned home, the newspaper added. GACA aims through these instructions to provide care for the pilgrims and ensure their safety, starting from their arrival to the Holy Sites until they are to depart to their homes.