Saudi Arabia has now made it illegal for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims to carry Zamzam water bottles inside their checked-in luggage.
In a warning from the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), airlines have been told to strictly stop people from putting Zamzam water bottles in their checked luggage.
Zamzam water comes from the well that was shown to Hagar, who was Prophet Ibrahim’s wife and the mother of Prophet Isaac (peace be upon them all).
The well is in Makkah, inside the Masjid al-Haram. Each year, millions of people who are going on the Hajj or Umrah pilgrimages stop by the well to drink its water.
The pilgrims also pack Zamzam bottles in their checked and carry-on luggage so they can use them later or give them as gifts to friends and family.
But the Kingdom has now told pilgrims that they can’t put Zamzam water bottles in their checked-in luggage.
“All airlines leaving from the Kingdom’s airports shall not let passengers carry liquids (ZamZam packages) in their checked-in bags,” the advisory from May 17, 2022, said.
Baggage that is given to an airline for transport is called “checked-in.” Unlike carry-on bags, they can’t be reached by the passenger during the flight.
“It is a clear violation of government orders not to follow circulars sent out by GACA. “Those who break the rules will face legal action, and they will be held accountable,” the advisory said.
The advisory is for all airlines, including private ones, that fly into and out of Saudi Arabian airports, as well as for all flights that leave from Saudi Arabian airports.
When it comes out before Hajj 2022, the advisory is likely to shock the pilgrims because it limits the number of Zamzam bottles they can bring back with them.
A 2014 order that limited how many bottles and cans of ZamZam pilgrims could take home caused a lot of anger and protests.
Before 2014, each passenger could take at least 10 litres of Zamzam water, but the rule now says that each person can only take 0.5 litres.
In a related story, the people in charge of Harmain – the Two Holy Mosques have told pilgrims not to buy ZamZam water in their home countries.
“People who buy ZamZam water in their home countries should make sure the water being sold is real and know where the bottles come from,” it said.
It also told the pilgrims that they needed to know the difference between the real bottles of ZamZam and the fake ones.
