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March 18, 2025 | 06:24 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Saudia Airlines will provide flight services to five Indonesian Hajj embarkation points during the 1446 Hijri or 2025 Hajj season. The Ministry of Religious Affairs has formalized the air transportation for this year's hajj pilgrimage with Saudia Airlines. The signing took place between Director General of Hajj and Umrah, Hilman Latief, and General Manager of Saudi Arabian Airlines, Amer G Alghamdy, at the Hajj Affairs Office in Jeddah on Sunday, March 16, 2025.
Saudia Airlines is the latest carrier to join the air transportation efforts for the 2025 Hajj season. Previously, the Ministry of Religious Affairs concluded air transportation contracts with Garuda Indonesia and Lion Air.
"Thank God, the stages of providing air transportation for Hajj pilgrims and officials have been completed with the signing of the agreement with Saudia Airlines," said Hilman in Jeddah, as quoted from his official statement on Monday, March 17, 2025.
Hilman detailed that Saudia Airlines will transport 102,182 pilgrims and officials during this year's Hajj season. "Pilgrims and officials who will be transported by Saudia come from five embarkation points which include 11 provinces," he explained.
The five embarkation points are: Batam Embarkation, serving pilgrims from Jambi, Riau, Riau Islands, and West Kalimantan; Palembang Embarkation, serving pilgrims from South Sumatra and Bangka Belitung; Jakarta Embarkation, serving pilgrims from Jakarta and parts of West Java; Kertajati Embarkation, from parts of West Java; and Surabaya Embarkation, serving pilgrims from East Java, Bali, and East Nusa Tenggara.
Hilman revealed that a series of preparations has been conducted, including procurement selection, price negotiations, draft discussions, and the signing of the cooperation agreement. He acknowledged that the process leading to this agreement was complex and demanding.
"Both parties required a lot of patience, keenness, and perseverance in negotiating to be able to agree to understand and collaborate between the Indonesian government as the sender of pilgrims and Saudia Airlines as the provider of air transportation," Hilman emphasized.
This cooperation agreement, Hilman explained, outlines the rights and obligations of each party to ensure service standards in air transportation, encompassing operational, in-flight, and post-Hajj operational periods.
Saudia Airlines has provided information regarding transportation preparations, including the readiness of aircraft assigned to carry Indonesian Hajj pilgrims, which have approved flight schedules from the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of Saudi Arabia for both departures and return flights.
Hilman noted that based on pilgrim data, flights will accommodate a significant number of pilgrims who are over 65 years old, at high risk, and disabled. All departing pilgrims have been declared medically fit for Hajj by the Ministry of Health.
"Services provided are those when boarding the plane, while on the plane, when disembarking from the plane, and leaving the airport. We hope that the ground and air personnel from Saudia Airlines can be more friendly and responsive in providing services to Indonesian Hajj pilgrims. Serving them as if serving our own parents," concluded the Director General of Hajj and Umrah.
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