JAKARTA - Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi met with the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Indonesia Sheikh Essam bin Abed Al-Thaqafi on Thursday (29/9) to agree on the opening of four Umrah flights from Kertajati Airport, West Java.
The Minister of Transportation said that it is targeted in November 2022, Kertajati Airport will start serving Umrah flights. "This is certainly encouraging news for all of us, especially people in West Java and its surroundings who can immediately depart for Umrah from Kertajati Airport," said the Minister of Transportation.
The Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Indonesia, Sheikh Essam bin Abed Al-Thaqafi, welcomed the opening of four flights from Kertajati to Jeddah. He said this effort would further enhance cooperation and bilateral relations between the two countries that have been well established, especially in the transportation sector. "We will facilitate further Umrah flights and Insha Allah for Hajj flights," he said at the meeting.
Previously, the Ministry of Transportation through the Directorate General of Civil Aviation had sent a letter to the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of Saudi Arabia on September 7, 2022, regarding an application for GACA support to provide Umrah flight slots to Garuda Indonesia and Lion Air airlines in November 2022.
The opening of Umrah and Hajj flights from Kertajati Airport is very potential. Based on data from the Directorate General of Hajj and Umrah at the Ministry of Religion, there are 8,657 Umrah pilgrims from areas around Kertajati such as from Greater Bandung, Ciayumajakuning, West Java, and Central Java, who have not yet left for the Holy Land. (LM)