Departure of 7,036 Hajj Pilgrims from South Sumatra-Babel Divided into 16 Flight Groups

Palembang (ANTARA) - The Regional Office of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah for South Sumatra is dividing the departure of 7,036 prospective Hajj pilgrims from the province and Bangka Belitung Province (Babel) via Palembang Hajj Embarkation into 16 flight groups (kloter). “The departure of the prospective Hajj pilgrims is divided into 16 kloter, starting with pilgrims from East Ogan Komering Ulu Regency (OKU) on 22 April 2026 using Saudi Arabian Airlines aircraft,” said Acting Head of the South Sumatra Regional Office of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Arkan Nurwahiddin, in Palembang on Monday. He explained that the departure of 441 prospective Hajj pilgrims in the first kloter, along with four accompanying officers, is scheduled to be seen off directly by South Sumatra Governor Herman Deru at Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin (SMB) II Airport in Palembang to Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah. The departure scheme is divided into two waves: the first wave with 10 kloter departing from 22 April to 5 May 2026, while the second wave comprises six kloter (kloter 11-16) departing from 9 to 15 May 2026. Specifically, the 1,077 prospective Hajj pilgrims from Bangka Belitung Province are divided into three kloter, namely kloter 7, 8, and 9. To embark thousands of prospective Hajj pilgrims, as in previous years, the pilgrims must be at the Palembang Hajj Dormitory one day before departure. All prospective Hajj pilgrims must enter the Hajj dormitory to undergo physical readiness checks and baggage inspection, as well as to prevent separation from the assigned kloter.