Government Monitors Delayed Umrah Pilgrims' Return

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah of the Republic of Indonesia continues to monitor and coordinate the return of several Indonesian Umrah pilgrims who faced flight delays in Saudi Arabia. Through the Hajj Affairs Office (KUH) in Jeddah, the government liaises between airlines, travel organizers, and relevant authorities to help ensure the smooth return of the pilgrims.

Based on a field monitoring report by the Technical Staff for Hajj Affairs in Jeddah on 8 March 2026, a total of 17 pilgrims from PT BMA experienced rescheduled return flights and are currently in Mecca. These pilgrims are scheduled to return to Indonesia on 10 and 14 March 2026.

Technical Staff for Hajj Affairs in Jeddah, M. Ilham Effendy, stated that the field team continues to monitor the situation and bridge communication between the pilgrims, airlines, and travel organizers.

“The team in Jeddah continues to coordinate with airlines, travel organizers, and related parties to help ensure that the pilgrims’ return process can proceed according to the available flight schedules,” Ilham stated.

In addition, 67 pilgrims from PT RLW have also experienced delayed returns. The flight rescheduling process is currently being handled by the relevant parties, with some pilgrims scheduled to return to Indonesia on 9 March 2026, using Ethiopian Airlines and Garuda Indonesia.

The team in Jeddah is also facilitating communication for five independent Umrah pilgrims affected by the cancellation of the Madinah–Mumbai flight route. The airline is currently processing ticket refunds and arranging replacement flights, with departure scheduled on Saudia Airlines on 15 March 2026.

During the same monitoring period, the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Jeddah also monitored the return of 2,062 Indonesian Umrah pilgrims, bringing the total number of returning pilgrims to 19,509 from 28 February to 8 March 2026. On 8 March, 434 new pilgrims were recorded arriving in Saudi Arabia from Indonesia.

Ilham emphasized that the team will continue monitoring and coordinating with relevant parties to ensure that the pilgrims’ travel process runs smoothly.

“We will continue coordination and monitoring with all related parties to ensure the pilgrims’ return process runs smoothly in accordance with applicable regulations,” he said.