Hajj Pilgrims Begin Repatriation on 1 June: Departure Process from Jeddah Airport

JEDDAH, KOMPAS.com - The Hajj 2026/1447 AH season has entered the repatriation phase. Indonesian Hajj pilgrims will begin repatriation via King Abdulaziz Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Monday, 1 June 2026. Airport Working Area Chief (Kadaker) Abdul Basir explained the arrival process until passengers board their flights. There are regulations regarding pilgrims’ arrival times at King Abdulaziz Airport. Pilgrims are permitted to enter the airport six hours before departure. “However, to enter the gate, they must arrive four hours before departure due to X-ray screening procedures requiring time,” Abdul Basir said in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday, 31 May 2026. Pilgrims are then directed to waiting areas or pavilions, where they are instructed to recheck their belongings for prohibited items. “Pilgrims will be given the opportunity to tidy their belongings and asked to leave any prohibited items,” he said. Basir urged group leaders, convoy chiefs, and kloter officers to assist pilgrims in checking and organising their luggage. Four hours before the flight, Hajj pilgrims proceed through the X-ray gate, before boarding the aircraft for their return to Indonesia. X-ray officers at King Abdulaziz Airport will conduct checks to ensure Indonesian Hajj pilgrims are not carrying Zamzam water. “Pilgrims are entitled to receive one gallon (five litres) of Zamzam water upon return to Indonesia. Most of the water has already been distributed to Hajj dormitories (debarkation sites), with pilgrims collecting it upon their return,” he said. For flight safety, pilgrims are prohibited from carrying hazardous items, including flammable objects such as lighters and sharp weapons. Pilgrims are also not allowed to carry gases, aerosols, liquids exceeding 100ml, or cash exceeding Rp100 million or SAR 25,000.