Many Umrah Pilgrims Stranded in Holy Land; Hajj Authority Urges Travel Agencies to Avoid Additional Charges

JAKARTA — The Hajj Affairs Office (KUH) in Jeddah has stated that it continues to coordinate with travel agencies and Saudi Arabian authorities to ensure pilgrims stranded due to escalating tensions are repatriated without bearing additional costs.

“We are continuously seeking the best solutions through intensive coordination with various parties, so that pilgrims can return to their homeland safely and comfortably,” said M. Ilham Effendy, Technical Staff for Hajj at the Hajj Affairs Office in Jeddah, in a statement in Jakarta on Tuesday, 10 March 2026.

Effendy noted that the KUH Jeddah has facilitated communication and coordination with airlines, travel operators, and relevant authorities to assist the smooth repatriation process for pilgrims.

Several umrah participants have experienced flight rescheduling, particularly those with transit packages to various countries in the region, whilst others have had their flights cancelled.

“The KUH continues to conduct comprehensive monitoring in airport service areas. We are also continuing to register pilgrims whose return has been delayed and are coordinating with travel agencies and relevant authorities so that the repatriation process can be completed promptly,” he said.

Earlier, the Indonesian Ministry of Hajj and Umrah advised prospective umrah pilgrims scheduled to travel to the Holy Land in the coming weeks to postpone their departure owing to the increasingly dynamic and uncertain security situation in West Asia.