Minister of Pilgrimage Reveals Two Options for 2026 Hajj: Flights via Africa or Potential Cancellation

Jakarta — Indonesia’s Minister of Pilgrimage (Menhaj) Mochamad Irfan Yusuf, commonly known as Gus Irfan, has affirmed that the 2026 hajj pilgrimage will proceed despite ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Irfan revealed that the government has developed contingency scenarios to anticipate risks and impacts related to the 2026 hajj pilgrimage. “We are considering several possible scenarios to mitigate risks. Firstly, the hajj could proceed despite the conflict situation, provided Saudi Arabia agrees to host the pilgrimage and Indonesia decides to permit departure, though this carries high risks,” Irfan said during a Commission VIII session of the House of Representatives in Jakarta on Wednesday, 11 March 2026.

Consequently, the government is considering rerouting flight paths to avoid conflict zones. “One scenario involves diverting flight routes away from conflict zones, including Iraq, Syria, Iran, Israel, the UAE, and Qatar. We would mitigate flight routes by using southern routes via the Indian Ocean and entering through East African airspace or other safe corridors,” he explained.

However, rerouting flights through East Africa would extend travel time. He stressed that coordination with Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) is essential to ensure the safety of flight corridors.

“If travel time increases, aircraft without long-range capabilities must make technical landings in third countries, which would naturally result in additional budgetary costs,” Irfan noted.

Implementation of this option would require adjusting flight slot timings to ensure departures and returns occur according to the designated schedule. “As I mentioned, there is potential for increased flight costs due to the extended distance and travel time resulting from flight route diversions,” he added.

This measure is necessary to secure a safe corridor for Indonesian pilgrims as non-combatant civilians. “Alhamdulillah, we continually communicate with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Pilgrimage, and to date they continue to ensure everything proceeds smoothly,” Irfan said.

The second option involves the government cancelling the 2026 hajj departure, even if Saudi Arabia approves the pilgrimage to proceed.