Air Space of Several Middle Eastern Countries Closed, KUH Jeddah Deploys 3 Teams at the Airport

JEDDAH - The closure of airspace in a number of Middle Eastern countries has begun to trigger the risk of regional flight disruptions. The Jeddah Hajj Affairs Office (KUH) has alerted a special team to anticipate delays to flight cancellations that could potentially keep Indonesian umrah pilgrims stuck at the airport.

A number of Saudi Arabia's neighboring countries reportedly closed their airspace for incoming and outgoing flights, including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, and Syria. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia along with Oman, Jordan, and Lebanon are still operating flights on a limited basis with a state of alert, adjusting to the development of the security situation.

The Technical Staff of the Hajj Affairs of KUH Jeddah, Muhammad Ilham Effendy, said that mitigation was carried out by forming three teams that worked in three shifts and were spread across three airport points, namely, Terminal 1, Terminal 2 (ex-Saudia), and the Hajj Terminal. "This step is to ensure that the assistance and coordination runs optimally for the pilgrims who are affected by the change in flight schedules," said Ilham in Jeddah, Saturday (28/2/2026) as reported on the kemenhaj page.

The Jeddah KUH also opened intensive communication with airlines, travel organizers, and syarikah (travel partners in Saudi Arabia) to find solutions for pilgrims whose return was delayed due to cancellation or schedule adjustments.

On the other hand, the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh urged Indonesian citizens in Saudi Arabia to remain calm and monitor official information from local authorities and representatives of the Republic of Indonesia. The government stated that the conditions in Saudi Arabia to date are safe and general activities are normal, with increased vigilance according to security standards.

The Indonesian government through its representatives in Saudi Arabia continues to monitor the situation and coordinate with the relevant authorities to maintain the security, safety, and comfort of the congregation. The public is also asked not to be tempted by unverified information and refer to official sources.