Latest news with #Soekarno-HattaInternationalAirport
CairoScene
07-05-2025
- Politics
- CairoScene
Indonesia Proposes Village in Saudi Arabia for Hajj & Umrah Pilgrims
Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto outlines plans to streamline accommodation and reduce costs for Indonesian pilgrims. Indonesia is proposing the establishment of a dedicated 'Indonesian village' near the Grand Mosque in Makkah to make travel and accommodation more accessible for its citizens performing Hajj and Umrah. The plan was announced by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto during the opening of the new Hajj and Umrah Terminal at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang. Prabowo said he intends to discuss the proposal further during an upcoming meeting with Saudi officials, following an earlier conversation with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The idea aims to address the growing logistical demands of pilgrimage season. Around 2.2 million Indonesians travel to Saudi Arabia annually for Hajj and Umrah, with daily peaks reaching as many as 12,000 visitors. This year alone, Indonesia has been allocated a Hajj quota of 221,000 pilgrims. According to officials, Indonesia's Minister of Religious Affairs, Nasaruddin Umar, will lead follow-up discussions with Saudi counterparts to explore the technical and regulatory aspects of the proposed project.
Saudi Gazette
04-05-2025
- Saudi Gazette
Indonesian president visits Makkah Route Initiative lounge in Jakarta
Saudi Gazette report JAKARTA — Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto visited the Makkah Route Initiative lounge at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta on Sunday. He was accompanied by Saudi Ambassador to Indonesia Faisal Al-Amoudi and Indonesian Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar. During the visit, the Indonesian president was briefed on the operational progress at the initiative lounge. He was informed about the measures implemented to streamline pilgrim journeys and expedite processing, aiming to maximize service efficiency and enhance ease and convenience for pilgrims while performing their rituals. The Makkah Route Initiative is designed to provide high-quality services to pilgrims from beneficiary countries, ensuring a seamless and welcoming experience. It involves completing all necessary procedures in their home countries, starting with biometric data collection and electronic Hajj visa issuance, followed by passport processing at the departure airport after health requirement verification. Baggage is then coded and sorted according to transportation and accommodation arrangements in the Kingdom. Upon arrival, pilgrims are transported directly by bus to their residences in Makkah and Madinah via designated routes, while partner agencies handle the delivery of their luggage. The Ministry of Interior spearheads the implementation of this initiative in collaboration with several key government bodies, including the ministries of foreign affairs, health, Hajj and Umrah, and media, as well as the General Authority of Civil Aviation, the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, the General Authority for Awqaf, the Pilgrim Experience Program, and the General Directorate of Passports.
Arab News
04-05-2025
- Arab News
Indonesian president inaugurates Hajj and Umrah airport terminal in Jakarta
JAKARTA: Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto inaugurated on Sunday a special terminal for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims at Jakarta's international airport, where travel will also be facilitated under Saudi Arabia's Makkah Route initiative. Indonesia, which has the world's largest Muslim-majority population, sends the highest number of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims every year. As pilgrims around the world have already begun to make their way to Saudi Arabia for Hajj this year, about 221,000 people will be coming from Indonesia. 'The government wants to give the best service for our pilgrims. We also understand that many of our pilgrims are seniors, and so we must take very good care of them,' Subianto said during the inauguration ceremony at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. 'We understand that our pilgrims have saved up for a long time, and even waited for a long time, and so the government under my leadership will do our very best to give the best services and work hard to lower the cost of Hajj.' The airport's 2F terminal area, which has undergone renovations, has been transformed into a dedicated area for Indonesia's Hajj and Umrah pilgrims. It was developed to serve 6.1 million travelers annually, according to a statement issued by the Cabinet Secretariat. The launch event was attended by Saudi Ambassador to Indonesia Faisal Abdullah Amodi, as well as other Indonesian ministers, including Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar and State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir. Special counters for Saudi immigration, which are part of the Kingdom's Makkah Route initiative, have also been set up at the new terminal. The program launched in Muslim-majority countries in 2019 allows Hajj pilgrims to fulfill all visa, customs and health requirements in one place, at the airport of origin, and save long hours of waiting before and upon reaching the Kingdom. In Indonesia, pilgrims departing from the cities of Jakarta, Surabaya and Solo are benefiting from the Makkah Route initiative. 'As President Prabowo said, this is proof of the government's commitment to give the best service, especially for our senior pilgrims. He is also proud of the modern and comfortable facilities that have been set up,' Umar, the religious affairs minister, said on social media. Thousands of Indonesian pilgrims have begun to depart for Saudi Arabia, after the first Hajj flights commenced last Friday. Though the pilgrimage itself can be performed over five or six days, many pilgrims arrive early to make the most of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fulfill their religious duty. In 2025, the Hajj is expected to take place on June 4 and end on June 9.
Sydney Morning Herald
23-04-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
This airport is hot, humid, dated and underwhelming
The airport Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta The flight Qantas flight QF42 from Jakarta to Sydney, departing 8.45pm. The arrival I'm arriving from Jakarta Airport Hotel, where I killed six hours before my onward flight home, altogether avoiding the city's notorious traffic that can make getting to the airport on time one of life's greatest gambles. The transit hotel is a short drive away and slightly Wes Anderson-esque – comfortable albeit quirky and extremely well priced with a complimentary shuttle to terminal 3. The look If the airport is not going to win any beauty contests, even less appealing is the temperature inside. The modern design struggles in the hot climate, and its abyss-like architecture, high ceilings and columns of windows seem to be effective only in undermining the air-conditioning. It's uncomfortably hot and humid in the terminal, and thankfully, supersized standalone AC units blowing jets of cool air have been placed at random.
The Age
23-04-2025
- The Age
This airport is hot, humid, dated and underwhelming
The airport Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta The flight Qantas flight QF42 from Jakarta to Sydney, departing 8.45pm. The arrival I'm arriving from Jakarta Airport Hotel, where I killed six hours before my onward flight home, altogether avoiding the city's notorious traffic that can make getting to the airport on time one of life's greatest gambles. The transit hotel is a short drive away and slightly Wes Anderson-esque – comfortable albeit quirky and extremely well priced with a complimentary shuttle to terminal 3. The look If the airport is not going to win any beauty contests, even less appealing is the temperature inside. The modern design struggles in the hot climate, and its abyss-like architecture, high ceilings and columns of windows seem to be effective only in undermining the air-conditioning. It's uncomfortably hot and humid in the terminal, and thankfully, supersized standalone AC units blowing jets of cool air have been placed at random.
