First wave of haj pilgrims return home

JAKARTA. The first haj pilgrims arrived back in Indonesia on Sunday, including 4,104 pilgrims from ten embarkation points, said Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali.

The pilgrims, who arrived on flights from Garuda Indonesia and Saudi Airlines, included the first cluster from embarkation points in Jakarta-Pondok Gede (455 pilgrims), Padang (374 pilgrims), Solo (375 pilgrims), Balikpapan (360 pilgrims), Medan (440 pilgrims), Makassar (375 pilgrims), Batam (450 pilgrims), Bekasi-Jakarta (450 pilgrims) and Surabaya (450 pilgrims), as well as Solo's second cluster (375 pilgrims).

The first cluster to arrive was the Jakarta-Pondok Gede embarkation point (JKG/01). According to the Haj Management Committee (PPIH), JKG/01 flew from King Abdul Aziz Airport (KAAI) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, at 7.20 a.m. local time and arrived at Halim Perdanakusuma Airport at 8.55 p.m. local time.

Ahmad Kartono, Religious Affairs Ministry haj development director, said each cluster was escorted by haj and health officials to ensure the health and comfort of the pilgrims on their journey home.

More than 168,000 pilgrims flew to Saudi Arabia this year, according to the ministry's data, with around 155,000 on the regular haj package and more than 13,000 on the special haj package. (The Jakarta Post)