Kualanamu Airport Authority Hopes Saudi Airlines To Transport Umrah Pilgrims Soon

Kualanamu Airport. (Photo: Ministry of BUMN)

JAKARTA - The Kualanamu International Airport Authority in Deli Serdang, North Sumatra, hopes that the Saudi Arabian Airlines airline will immediately operate to bring Umrah pilgrims to the Holy Land, Saudi Arabia despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Until now Saudi airlines have not given a signal, but we continue to hope. As well as marking the reopening of international routes in Kualanamu," said Acting (Plt) Communication and Legal Manager for Kualanamu International Airport, Fajri Ramdhani, in Medan, quoted from Antara, Tuesday November 17th.

He explained, before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country since March this year, there were at least two frequencies of flights served by Saudi Arabian Airlines in a special week to bring Umrah pilgrims directly to the Holy Land.

Apart from Saudi Arabian Airlines, he admitted, there are four foreign airlines operating at Kualanamu International Airport every week, namely Malaysia Airlines with the Kuala Lumpur-Kualanamu international flight route back and forth.

Then the Silk Air airline with the Singapore-Kualanamu route, Jetstar for Singapore-Kualanamu, and Air Asia with three international routes namely, Singapore-Kualanamu, Kuala Lumpur-Kualanamu, and Penang-Kualanamu.

As is known, PT Angkasa Pura II itself has implemented a health protocol with the concept of Biosafety and Biosecurity Management as an effort to create a safe, healthy and hygienic airport.

"Currently, Indonesian citizens can return to their Umrah pilgrimage by flying from Soekarno-Hatta Airport. It is important for Soekarno-Hatta Airport to maintain this trust by implementing existing protocols, including aspects of passenger health," he said.

The commodity of Kualanamu International Airport Flight Operator fully supports the presence of the airline to immediately operate serving Umrah flights to the Holy Land.

"For this Umrah flight, we are not sure when the departure of Umrah passengers will start. But as AOC, we support their presence (the airline) to operate immediately," said Rahmat Iskandar, the chairman of AOC at Kualanamu International Airport.

The Minister of Transportation, Budi Karya Sumadi, earlier this month supported the reopening of Umrah flights from Indonesia by the Saudi Arabian government starting on Sunday, November 1, 2020, and hopes that the Umrah pilgrims will remain disciplined in implementing health protocols.

"We are also happy with the reopening of Umrah flights from Indonesia. We ask the congregation to remain disciplined in applying health protocols when using planes and when praying. Hopefully the worship will be smooth and stay healthy," he said.

Based on information from the Indonesian Transportation Attaché in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for the time being permitted to carry Umrah are airlines from Saudi Arabia, namely Saudi Airlines, which applies to all countries of origin for pilgrims who stop by the airline, such as in the Middle East, Europe, United States, Asia. , and Africa.

This step is a trial for the Saudi government to facilitate control over the implementation of health protocols. The trials were carried out during November-December.