I am doing the Hadj as well again this year, but the company decided to to an intermediate stop somewhere short of JED to change crew. Either Athens, Rhodes, Sharm-El Sheik or Hurghada.
The other gang is just doing the shuttle then to JED and than back to either of them.
Personally I think chances being robbed, raped, shot at wso in any major city in the US, South America or in Europe is even higher, than just being at that time, at that place, where a bomb is just blasting off !
Happy ldgs
Angel