JAKARTA - The Ministry of Religion stated that the government continues to strive to shorten the residence period of pilgrims, but is hit by flight rules in Saudi Arabia as stated in Ta'limatul Hajj or Saudi Arabian Government Regulations on Hajj Implementation.
"Saudi Arabian provisions, countries that send more than 30 thousand pilgrims, their flight operational period, both upon arrival and return, are at least 30 days each. This is stated in Article 16 Ta'limatul Hajj," said Director of Foreign Hajj Services at the Ministry of Religion Subhan Cholid reported by ANTARA, Friday, September 8.
Efforts to shorten the residence of Indonesian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia were discussed at the National Working Meeting Commission's hearing on the Evaluation of the 1444 H/2023 M Hajj Implementation.
Subhan said Ta'limatul Hajj regulates the operational period of arrival and return. Operations for the arrival of pilgrims in Saudi Arabia take place from 1 Zulkaidah to 4 Zulhijjah. While the operation of his return, starting from 15 Zulhijjah.
According to him, if it is calculated from 1 Zulkaidah, the arrival operation lasts for 34 days. However, to shorten the stay period, Indonesian pilgrims depart from 4 Zulkaidah to 4 Zulhijjah.
"The repatriation operation begins with 15 Zulhijjah. The first batch of pilgrims departing on 4 Zulkaidah, can only return home on 15 Zulhijjah so that the minimum stay period is 41 days," he said.
He said the Ministry of Religion had asked Saudi Arabia about the rules in Ta'limatul Hajj. The answer is due to limited flight slots.
Currently, Indonesia gets an average of 17 to 18 flight slots per day. With the current airport infrastructure, Saudi Arabia has not been able to provide additional flight slots.
"In the future, what we need to do is discuss with the Government of Saudi Arabia the possibility of expanding the airport. So that the slots provided for Indonesia can be added," said Subhan.
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In addition to expansion, Subhan hopes Saudi Arabia will also open a new airport. Subhan claimed to have heard the option of opening an airport in Thaif. The distance between this airport is relatively close to Mecca. If the airport is just opened, the number of available flight slots will increase.
"If we can get more than 25 slots per day, it will be quite significant, it can reduce our stay. This requires intensive and continuous lobbying. Maybe not in the near future, but I believe in the future it can be realized," he said.
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