{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1664505,
        "msgid": "prabowo-orders-garuda-indonesia-ceo-to-form-joint-venture-with-saudi-arabian-airlines-1775649167",
        "date": "2026-04-08 17:35:54",
        "title": "Prabowo Orders Garuda Indonesia CEO to Form Joint Venture with Saudi Arabian Airlines",
        "author": "",
        "source": "CNBC",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Business",
        "summary": "President Prabowo Subianto has instructed Garuda Indonesia's CEO to establish a joint venture with Saudi Arabian Airlines to address the inefficiency of empty return flights for Hajj pilgrims, aiming to make operations more economical by ensuring full flights in both directions and potentially lowering costs and shortening travel times. He also highlighted progress on a dedicated Indonesian Hajj village and terminal in Saudi Arabia, which has received preliminary approval, and emphasised the government's bold decision to reduce Hajj costs despite rising aviation fuel prices while committing to shorten the waiting list from 48 to 26 years. These initiatives underscore the administration's focus on protecting lower-income citizens and enhancing pilgrimage services through international cooperation and policy reforms.",
        "content": "<p>Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - President Prabowo Subianto has requested\nGaruda Indonesia to form a joint venture with Saudi Arabian Airlines to\nresolve the issue of Garuda\u2019s aircraft returning empty to Indonesia\nafter transporting Hajj pilgrims.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIs the Garuda CEO and Danantara here? I have instructed them to\napproach Saudi Air so that Garuda and Saudi Air create a JV. For a long\ntime, Garuda\u2019s planes have been transporting Hajj pilgrims to the Holy\nLand and returning empty. This is not economical; it doesn\u2019t make\nsense.<\/p>\n<p>Saudi Arabia also returns our pilgrims to Indonesia on empty flights.\nI said, why not collaborate and create a 50:50 subsidiary. Our flights\nto Saudi Arabia would be full, and back to Indonesia full; prices could\ndrop again, and travel time could be shorter. This needs to be\nimplemented,\u201d he stated during a Government Working Meeting on Wednesday\n(8\/4\/2026).<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, Prabowo mentioned that Indonesia will build a Hajj\nvillage with dozens of towers to accommodate many Indonesian pilgrims.\nHe has already proposed it, and in principle, it has been approved by\nthe Saudi kingdom for Indonesia to have a special Hajj terminal.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHas it been worked on yet? I ordered it about two months ago; this\ngovernment must work quickly. The Garuda CEO will report to me later,\u201d\nhe emphasised.<\/p>\n<p>The President has also taken bold action by reducing Hajj costs,\ndespite a significant increase in aviation fuel (avtur) prices.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEven though avtur prices have risen, we dare to lower Hajj costs for\nthis year; this is the government\u2019s commitment to protect the\nlowest-income people,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, he is striving to reduce Hajj waiting times, which from\nthis year will no longer be 48 years but at most 26 years. He even\nclaimed he will fight to make it even shorter.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/prabowo-orders-garuda-indonesia-ceo-to-form-joint-venture-with-saudi-arabian-airlines-1775649167",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}