Garuda strengthens 2026 Hajj flights with elderly-friendly services
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Garuda Indonesia is strengthening elderly-friendly Hajj flights for 2026 by prioritising safety, fleet reliability, and enhanced services in line with the increasing proportion of elderly prospective pilgrims this year.
Garuda Indonesia’s President Director, Glenny Kairupan, stated that the company is ready to commence Hajj flight operations for 1447 Hijriah/2026 on 21 April, having comprehensively bolstered operational preparedness.
“We are focusing on aviation safety aspects, fleet reliability, and strengthening elderly-friendly services, in line with the rising proportion of elderly Hajj pilgrims this year,” Glenny said in his statement in Jakarta on Thursday.
The airline ensures all operational preparations are carried out in an integrated manner, from fleet and crew to ground services and a safe, comfortable, and inclusive flying experience for all pilgrims.
This year’s service enhancements are focused on meeting the needs of elderly pilgrims, numbering around 18,000 or about 18% of the total pilgrims served, as well as those with special needs.
The state-owned airline is introducing more adaptive and inclusive services, ranging from mobility assistance on the ground and in the air to strengthening the role of cabin crew in ensuring comfort and ease for pilgrims during flights.
“This is part of our commitment to delivering Hajj services that are not only safe but also full of empathy and convenience for all pilgrims,” Glenny continued.
As part of these service enhancements, Garuda Indonesia is preparing various support facilities, including wheelchair provision at every embarkation point, ambulifts at Jakarta and Solo embarkations, pilgrim buses with toilet facilities, aerobridges at several embarkations, special baggage handling services, and buggy cars at King Abdulaziz International Airport.
Cabin crew are also on standby to provide intensive assistance during the flight process, particularly for elderly pilgrims and those with disabilities.
To support comfort on long-haul flights, Garuda Indonesia provides catering services consisting of two full meals and one snack, complemented by in-flight entertainment facilities and the availability of portable bidets in the aircraft lavatories.
In addition to fleet and service readiness, Garuda Indonesia is ensuring human resource preparedness by deploying over 1,085 flight crew members, comprising 731 cabin crew and 354 cockpit crew, as well as 139 Hajj ground staff to support smooth pilgrim mobilisation at all embarkation points.
During this year’s Hajj season, Garuda Indonesia will serve at least 102,502 prospective Hajj pilgrims divided into 278 flying groups (kloter) from 10 embarkation points: Jakarta, Banda Aceh, Medan, Padang, Solo, Yogyakarta, Balikpapan, Banjarmasin, Makassar, and Lombok.
Pilgrim departures will be carried out in stages from 21 April to 21 May 2026, with the departure phase to Madinah from 21 April to 6 May 2026 and to Jeddah from 7 to 21 May 2026. Meanwhile, the pilgrim return phase is scheduled from 1 to 30 June 2026.
The inaugural flight will begin with the departure of the first kloter from Yogyakarta embarkation on Tuesday (21/4) at 23.40 WIB with flight number GA 6501 using an Airbus A330-300 aircraft.
Glenny added that with various preparations and government support amid jet fuel price dynamics, Hajj pilgrimage costs this year remain stable.
“The success of Hajj operations is the result of close collaboration across the ecosystem, from regulators and airport authorities to all operational lines of the Garuda Indonesia Group, from aircraft maintenance and catering services to cargo support,” he said.
To support this year’s Hajj operations, Garuda Indonesia has prepared 15 wide-body aircraft consisting of 8 owned by Garuda Indonesia and 7 leased, covering 6 Boeing 777-300ER, 6 Airbus A330-300, and 3 Airbus A330-900neo.
All of these aircraft are from competitive-age generations optimised for long-haul flights and are ensured to be in prime condition through layered maintenance procedures via the Aircraft Health Program.
“This includes fulfilling certifications from Saudi Arabian aviation authorities as a primary prerequisite for Hajj operations,” he said.