Ministry Of Religion And Lion Air Collaborate On Flights Of Prospective Hajj Pilgrims

Photo: Doc. Antara

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Religion signed a cooperation agreement for the transportation of regular pilgrims for Hajj candidates in 1446 Hijri/2025 AD with PT Lion Mentari which oversees Lion Air.

In the cooperation agreement, Lion Air airline will serve the departure of pilgrims in 1446 Hijri/2025 AD through two embarkations, namely Padang (PDG) and Banjarmasin (BDJ) with Airbus 330 seat 423 people/passengers.

"We welcome the cooperation established with PT Lion Mentari Air in the field of Hajj transportation. The involvement of this national airline is a positive step in efforts to provide comfortable and safe Hajj services for Indonesian pilgrims," said Director General of Hajj and Umrah at the Ministry of Religion Hilman Latief in a statement in Jakarta, quoted by Antara, Saturday, February 22.

He said the cooperation in air transportation for Indonesian regular pilgrims with airlines under PT Lion Mentari was the first time in the history of the process of organizing the pilgrimage in Indonesia.

After a memorandum of understanding with Lion Air, the Ministry of Religion immediately entered into an agreement to cooperate with air transportation transportation for regular pilgrims with Garuda and Saudi Airlines.

he hopes that the addition of airlines in organizing Hajj flights can overcome various obstacles that often arise related to air transportation.

"We are optimistic that this collaboration will improve the quality of flight services as a whole," said Hilman.

He appealed to PT Lion Mentari Air to pay special attention to the services and infrastructure on the plane that will be used by prospective pilgrims for Hajj.

Although at the initial stage of this collaboration included the embarkation of Padang and Banjarmasin, the Ministry of Religion emphasized the importance of high service standards for pilgrims.

By joining PT Lion Mentari Air, currently there are three airlines serving Hajj flights, namely Garuda Indonesia, Saudi Airlines, and Lion Air.

"We hope that it will encourage continuous improvement in service quality," he said.

Lion Air President Director Rudy Lumingkewas said Lion Air would transport 11,762 prospective hajj candidates, with details of the Padang Embarkation (PDG) of 6,293 people and the Banjarmasin Embarkation (BDJ) of 5,469 people.

Lion Air prepares four fleets of modern and young (averaged 5 to 7 years) wide-body aircraft, namely Airbus 330-300CEO and Airbus 330-900NEO, with a capacity of 436 seats.

The aircraft is equipped with the best convenience features, including a wide cabin as well as an ergonomic seat designed to ensure comfort during long-distance flights.

In addition, Lion Air has prepared professional flight crews, including pilots, cabin crew, and technicians, who have undergone rigorous training according to standard operating procedures (SOP) for Hajj flights.

"Foods and drinks during flights have also been prepared by taking into account the nutritional aspects and preferences of the congregation," he said.