Budget carrier SpiceJet on Wednesday announced that it will operate 148 special flights from Srinagar to ferry passengers for the grand annual Islamic pilgrimage of Haj in Mecca.

The flights will be operated between July 4 and July 29 and for return, the flights are scheduled between August 16 and September 11.

The airline, in a statement, said it will carry 11,000 Hajj pilgrims from Srinagar to Medina and Jeddah and back on special flights.

“SpiceJet is honoured to play a small part in helping Indian pilgrims travel to Mecca for the Hajj pilgrimage this year," Ajay Singh, chairman and managing director of the airline, said.

Jeddah is in close proximity to the pilgrim destinations of Mecca and Medina and its King Abdulaziz International Airport acts as one of the main transit points for thousands of Hajj pilgrims and tourists across the globe.

In March, the airline had announced daily non-stop between Hyderabad and Jeddah.