Denmark: Islamic Faith Society helping out with airport Eid crush
Copenhagen Airport is cooperating with the Islamic Faith Society in order to help the many pilgrims on their way to Mecca.
Muslims are now celebrating Eid ul-Adha. 1300-1500 pilgrims leave Copenhagen Airport every year, depending on the quota Saudi-Arabia gives Danish Muslims. It doesn't sound like much in such a big airport, but until a few years it caused chaos, comparable to Christmas traffic, when many relatives came with the pilgrims to the airport and came to pick them up afterward.
Therefore Copenhagen Airport is now working with the Islamic Faith Society. For example, after two Friday prayers last year, Passenger Manager Marie-Louise Lotz and a colleague asked that the ceremony be held at home and not in the airport. That helped also this year.
Members of the Faith Society are also helping with practical things such as guiding people to the right p[lace, interpreting and finding place where the pilgrims can change into the traditional white outfit.
Members of the Islamic Faith Society also help when the pilgrims come back with massive amounts of luggage from the Muslims' holiest city - as well as holy water which weighs down their suitcases. It's not possible to carry it in hand-luggage anymore.
Source: Kristeligt Dagblad (Danish)
