2,100 East Java Hajj Pilgrims Face Delayed Departures Due to Middle East Conflict

War in the Middle East between Iran, Israel, and the United States has impacted the pilgrimage sector, affecting both hajj and umrah travel to the Holy Land. Thousands of umrah pilgrims from East Java now face delayed departures.

The Acting Head of the Ministry of Hajj (Kemenhaj) in East Java, Asadul Anam, confirmed receipt of an official directive from the central government to postpone pilgrim departures in order to avoid airspace affected by the conflict.

Currently, the ministry is conducting comprehensive data collection on pilgrims affected by this policy.

“The directive from the Ministry of Hajj came yesterday afternoon at 3 p.m. It was issued through the Deputy Minister of Hajj instructing us to postpone departures. We are currently gathering this data,” said Anam when contacted on Monday, 2 March.

According to data recorded in the Computerised System for Integrated Hajj and Special Umrah Management (Siskopatuh), the number of pilgrims already registered for departure runs into the thousands.

Although data has been compiled, Kemenhaj emphasised that operational procedures remain entirely the responsibility of individual travel agencies or Umrah Pilgrimage Organisers (PPIU).

“Based on the Siskopatuh list, there are approximately 2,100 pilgrims already registered via Nusuk Masar who were scheduled to depart in the coming days. We are unaware of the exact status as the technical aspects fall under the authority of the PPIU themselves, not us. However, we will continue to monitor the departure process,” he said.

The uncertainty surrounding the duration of the Middle East conflict means the East Java Kemenhaj cannot yet determine a definitive date for resuming pilgrim departures. Strict monitoring will continue whilst considering the level of regional tensions.

“We cannot know how long the Middle East conflict will last. What needs to be considered is the level of escalation. If escalation increases, I believe restrictions will be tightened accordingly,” he said.

As a precautionary measure, pilgrims have been advised to remain calm and actively seek the latest information from their respective travel agents. Intensive communication between pilgrims and the PPIU is expected to provide clarity and transparency.

“Again, it is important to coordinate and communicate with the PPIU to obtain certainty regarding departure schedules,” he said.