Garuda Indonesia Has Flyed 3,700 Hajj Pilgrims To Hold Water

Illustration (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The national airline Garuda Indonesia has officially started implementing Phase II (Repair) of Hajj 1444/2023 flights to fly pilgrims back to Indonesia.

Garuda Indonesia has flown at least 3,700 Hajj pilgrims to the country.

The congregation was flown in on Tuesday, July 4, which is the first day of implementing the first phase of Hajj 1444/2023.

The number of Hajj Pilgrims from Indonesia comes from nine groups from five major cities in Indonesia, namely Jakarta three groups, Medan one group, Banda Aceh one group, Makassar one group, Solo one group.

The initial implementation of the Indonesian Hajj pilgrims' Return phase was marked by a GA-7401 flight carrying 390 pilgrims from Group 01 Jakarta who had departed from King Abdul Aziz International Airport, Jeddah on Tuesday, July 4, at 08.04 LT.

President Director of Garuda Indonesia, Irfan Setiaputra, said that today is the second day of repatriation for pilgrims, Garuda Indonesia will again fly at least nine groups of pilgrims to Jakarta, Medan, Banda Aceh, Solo, and Makassar.

Furthermore, Irfan said, the members will start with the departure of Group 04 Solo at 06.30 local time from the holy land.

All pilgrims departing from Jeddah on Monday, July 5 are expected to arrive in Indonesia on Thursday, July 6.

Irfan said that Garuda Indonesia continues to strive to optimize its commitment to providing seamless Hajj flight services for pilgrims, one of which is carried out by ensuring various flight operational readiness.

"This year's implementation of the pilgrimage has an important meaning not only for the community but also for us as the National Flag Carrier considering that the policy of limiting the number of Hajj pilgrims has coincided with the transition period to endemic," Irfan told reporters, Wednesday, July 5.

For this reason, Garuda Indonesia always strives to prioritize its commitment to ensure that the worship journey of all pilgrims can run smoothly through safe and comfortable flight services that can be carried out optimally.

Previously, in Phase I (Departure) which took place from May 24 to June 23, 2023, Garuda Indonesia had dispatched a total of 110,404 pilgrims, divided into 305 groups, to Medina and Jeddah.

All pilgrims were dispatched in stages from 14 embarkations, namely Balikpapan, Banda Aceh Banjarmasin, Batam, Jakarta Bekasi, Jakarta Pondok Gede, Kertajati, Lombok, Makassar, Medan, Padang, Palembang, Solo, and Surabaya, including five additional embarrations according to the provisions of the Indonesian Ministry of Religion.

Meanwhile, the Hajj Flight Return Phase 1444/2023 will be held from July 4 to August 4, 2023.

In the first phase, which will take place from July 4 to 18, 2023, the repatriation of the congregation will be carried out from Jeddah; while in the second stage (July 19 to August 4, 2023), all pilgrims will depart from Medina.

"Garuda Indonesia will continue to optimize various adjustments to provide added value of services for pilgrims, especially the elderly pilgrims (elderly), whose number reaches more than 30 percent of the total pilgrims this year through various special services," he said.

He added that he would continue to coordinate intensively with various stakeholders to optimize the smooth implementation of the 1444/2023 Hajj Pilgrims' Repatriation Phase to the country.

This is also aligned with Garuda Indonesia's commitment to optimize Garuda Indonesia's readiness to provide the best service for all pilgrims through optimizing excellence in various aspects, starting from the readiness and feasibility of the fleet, security and safety of flights.

"Until the quality of all the touch points of flight services that we have carried out since the first day of the congregation's departure to the Holy Land until the last group of pilgrims arrived back in the country," concluded Irfan.