Indonesian Embassy in Amman Denies Neglecting Indonesian Citizens amid Flight Cancellations

Dozens of Indonesian citizens taking part in a pilgrimage tour were reportedly stranded in Amman, Jordan, due to airspace closures in the region. They briefly sought evacuation assistance after their flights back to Indonesia were cancelled. In response to circulating information that the Indonesian representatives failed to respond to the request for help, the Indonesian Embassy in Amman (KBRI Amman) stated that the report was untrue. The party who posted the information has apologised, saying they had tried various parallel methods to seek assistance. KBRI Amman explained that communication with the pilgrimage group had actually been ongoing since the start of the week. ‘KBRI Amman on Monday (2/3) afternoon received communication from one of the groups. They said they were travelling back from Petra to Amman and would fly with Etihad (Amman–Jakarta route) on 4 March 2026,’ the official KBRI statement on Thursday (5/3) read.

In the communication, the group expressed concerns about returning home due to many flights being cancelled in the region. In response, KBRI Amman promptly replied and offered several alternative flight options. The same options had previously been conveyed to other Indonesian pilgrim groups contacting the Indonesian representation in Jordan. However on Tuesday (3/3), the group contacted the KBRI again after their Emirates flight was cancelled. They said they were having difficulty obtaining alternative flights as previously advised. In the communication, the group also asked the Indonesian government to carry out an evacuation and inquired about the possibility of a charter aircraft from Jordan. KBRI Amman subsequently explained that there are currently no evacuation plans for the stranded Indonesian pilgrims in Amman. ‘The Embassy has said that there is currently no evacuation plan for stranded Indonesian pilgrims in Amman,’ the RI representative said.

In addition to providing travel options, the embassy also inquired about the health of group members and said it stood ready to assist if medications were needed. So far, KBRI Amman has been monitoring the situation of the stranded Indonesians in Jordan and actively maintaining communication with them. A total of 27 Indonesian pilgrim travellers from different groups have successfully left Jordan using alternative flights via Cairo, Egypt. As a follow-up, the Embassy said it would help meet the basic needs of the travellers still stranded in Amman. ‘The Embassy today will follow up on the request for medications from the group,’ the embassy said. Moreover, the Amman Embassy is still seeking information on the availability of a charter aircraft as requested by the groups. In fact, based on the last communication with the travellers the previous night, the Embassy was preparing logistical assistance in the form of meals. ‘Following the last talks with them last night, the KBRI is preparing Indonesian-style meals and will dispatch them to them this afternoon,’ the KBRI Amman statement read. (H-4) The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemenlu) is closely monitoring the legal case of an Indonesian child suspected of involvement in activities supporting the ISIS movement.