Padang Debarkation Point Ready to Welcome Returning Hajj Pilgrims, First Group to Land Tomorrow
The Hajj Pilgrimage Organizing Committee (PPIH) for the Padang Debarkation point is prepared to welcome the return of Indonesian Hajj pilgrims from the Holy Land. The first flight group (Kloter 1) is scheduled to land at Minangkabau International Airport (BIM) on Wednesday afternoon (3/6).
Readiness for the arrival was discussed during the Padang Debarkation Hajj Pilgrims Welcoming Meeting held at the Padang Hajj Dormitory on Tuesday (2/6). The meeting was led by the Head of the Regional Office of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah West Sumatra, M. Rifki, alongside various regional officials, including representatives from the Airport Authority, Garuda Indonesia, the Department of Transportation, Immigration, and Customs.
M. Rifki stated that the first group is scheduled to arrive at BIM at 18:15 WIB using a Garuda Indonesia Boeing 777-300ER. He emphasised that all service elements are ready to provide optimal service from the moment the pilgrims disembark until they return to their respective home regions.
The arrival process will follow operational standards similar to the departure phase. Upon landing, pilgrims will be directed to ten prepared buses at the airport apron to be transported to the Padang Hajj Dormitory. To expedite the process and ensure comfort after their long journey, Immigration officers will conduct passport inspections and stamping directly on the buses, preventing long queues at the arrival terminal.
It is expected that all pilgrims will arrive at the Padang Hajj Dormitory approximately one and a half to two hours after the plane lands for the official welcoming and handover ceremony. Upon arrival at the dormitory, pilgrims will undergo health screenings by the Health Quarantine Centre, including thermal scanning to monitor body temperatures. Any individual found with a temperature exceeding 38 degrees Celsius will undergo further observation by health officials.
To further assist the pilgrims, staff will handle all luggage, ensuring that passengers do not need to carry suitcases themselves. The process will conclude with a formal handover from the flight group officers to the Padang Debarkation Committee, which will then coordinate with local governments to return the pilgrims to their home districts.