Haj organizers blamed for departure postponement

Haj organizers blamed for departure postponement

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government blamed a delay in the departure of about 1,200
Muslims making the pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia on the haj
organizers who arranged the flights.

Minister of Religious Affairs Said Agil Husein Al Munawar said
the government did not intervene in transportation matters
entrusted to travel agencies organizing the pilgrimage.

Said was responding on Monday to an incident in which
Indonesian Airlines left the pilgrims stranded in numerous hotels
and haj centers in the city last week after their departure was
delayed for several days.

The pilgrims' departure was delayed after Saudi Arabian
authorities refused to allow the airline's planes to land at King
Abdul Aziz International Airport because its flights to the
country were not guaranteed by any bank.

"We have no business contract with Indonesian Airlines. It is
the pilgrimage organizers' responsibility to determine what
airlines pilgrims will fly on," the minister said.

The stranded pilgrims should have enjoyed better services as
they took a special pilgrimage scheme (ONH Plus).

Said Agil also denied rumors that he steered pilgrims and haj
organizers to the new airline because he had close ties with its
owner.

"I don't even know who owns the company," he said.

The minister said the problem with the pilgrims had been
resolved and they had left for Saudi Arabia several days ago.

The pilgrims were carried by four airlines, Garuda, Qatar,
Malaysia and Emirates.

There around 200,000 Indonesians are making pilgrimage to the
Holy Land of Mecca.

Separately, legislators from House of Representatives
Commission VI for education and religious affairs urged the
government to sanction travel agencies found responsible for any
pilgrimage departure delays.

"We are tasked with supervising the implementation of the haj
pilgrimage. We really regret the delay that resulted in the
mistreatment of the pilgrims," said Heri Akhmadi, deputy chairman
of the commission.

In response to this incident, Commission VI and Commission IV
for transportation are scheduled next week to hold a joint
hearing with national flag-carrier Garuda Indonesia Airways and
Saudi Airlines.

Taufiq Kamil, head of Islamic education and pilgrims at the
religious affairs ministry, said Indonesian Airlines would be
sanctioned.

He added that Indonesian Airlines would likely also be
sanctioned by the transportation ministry.

Legislator Anwar Arifin said up to now pilgrims were
transported by Garuda because it was the only Indonesian airline
with a landing permit in Saudi Arabia.

"We were surprised by the appearance of Indonesian Airlines.
We became even more surprised by the departure delay for the haj
pilgrims," he said.

He said the government should explain to the public what
sanctions would imposed against the airline and why it had
allowed the newly established airline to transport pilgrims while
other airlines in the country were not allowed to do so.