DOHA, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Qatar denied it had banned Saudi Arabian flights from landing to transport Muslim pilgrims to Mecca, after an accusation by Saudi authorities, the state-run QNA news agency reported on Monday.
Saudi Arabian Airlines on Sunday said Qatari authorities had refused to grant a Saudi Arabian Airlines flight, scheduled to transport Qatari hajj pilgrims, permission to land at Hamad International Airport.
An official source in the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority on Monday "described as baseless the news that allegedly claimed that the state of Qatar refused to allow Saudi Airlines to transport the Qatari pilgrims," according to QNA news agency.
Qatar's civil aviation authority confirmed that it had received a request from the Saudi carrier for permission to land and had referred the airline to the ministry of Islamic affairs "in accordance with past practices."
The hajj in Saudi Arabia is expected to draw around two million Muslims from around the world.
