Haji 2026 Operations Officially Started, 391 First Kloter Pilgrims Depart from Soekarno-Hatta

Illustration of Indonesian Hajj pilgrims (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - A total of 391 Indonesian pilgrims who are members of the first flight group (batch) of the Pondok Gede Embarkation were officially sent to the Holy Land on Wednesday, April 22, early morning. This departure marks the start of the 2026 Hajj operation at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.

Hundreds of pilgrims were flown to Madinah at around 00.45 WIB using Garuda Indonesia through Terminal 2F which is dedicated to Hajj flights.

"The origin of the Pondok Gede Embarkation was approximately 391 people. They entered Terminal 2F to undergo the preparation process before being flown," said Assistant Deputy Communication and Legal of Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Yudistiawan, quoted by Antara.

Before departure, pilgrims undergo a screening process through the Makkah Route service or a fast track to Saudi Arabia's immigration, so that when they arrive in Madinah they do not have to queue long.

On the first day of operation, the airport served four departure clusters originating from the Pondok Gede Embarkation, Bekasi, and Banten.

To support the smooth running, the airport management has prepared a number of facilities, including a worship room with a capacity of up to 1,000 people and four waiting rooms with a capacity of around 450 people each.

In addition, there are 10 Makkah Route service counters with the latest technology to speed up the examination of pilgrims' documents.

"We ensure that the process is smoother and more comfortable for the congregation," said Yudistiawan.

In terms of health services, the airport cooperates with the Health Quarantine Office to prepare medical facilities and emergency handling. Wheelchair services and accompanying officers are also provided for those in need.

During this year's hajj season, around 200 officers were on standby at Terminal 2F to ensure that all departure processes were safe, orderly, and smooth.