Here’s the unusual insight I discovered after arranging more than 800 Umrah trips: Almost all British Muslims select their airport based on location, and nothing else. They are leaving £200 a ticket and hours of pain-in-the-neck hassle on the table. I am the owner of Aqdas Travel, Manchester – a Hajj and Umrah travel specialist. […]

A month ago, for example, I had a grandmother from Manchester in my office who almost fell apart. She had put aside £15,000 for her family Umrah trip, money which was now lying in an offshore account held by a fraudster. The “agency” she’d trusted? A WhatsApp business account with a cloned logotype and no […]

UK pilgrims should also pack according to season. Summer Umrah (April-October) requires breathable clothes at 40°C+ Summer heat, and winter travels (November-March) require layered options due to 10-30°C differences. Most economy class flights with British Airways, Saudi Airlines and Emirates from UK airports allow 23kg for your checked baggage. Season Temperature Range Key Packing Priorities […]

Three years ago, I met Sarah at Birmingham Airport. She was travelling to Makkah with her 4-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter. The boy was screaming because she’d forgotten to pack his favourite dinosaur toy. She looked at me and said, “This is a terrible idea, isn’t it?” Last month, she sent me photos from their […]