Pilgrims praise Makkah Route service for enhancing devotion

Tangerang, Banten (ANTARA) - Prospective pilgrim Agung Pribadi (57) has praised the Makkah Route service at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, stating that it helps enhance devotion upon arrival in Saudi Arabia.

“From embarkation, through the airport, and until we reach Jeddah and our hotel, we can immediately begin our worship. This is a significant improvement for us,” said Agung when interviewed before checking in at the Makkah Route counter in Tangerang, Banten, on Sunday.

He explained that with this service, he no longer needs to queue for lengthy immigration checks upon arrival in Saudi Arabia, as passport and visa inspections by Saudi authorities are already conducted in Indonesia.

“Therefore, we don’t have to wait long and get tired,” said the prospective pilgrim from the Bekasi embarkation point in West Java.

According to him, this service represents a positive change compared to previous years.

“I heard that in the past, perhaps ten or fifteen years ago, pilgrims had to queue for several hours at the airport before reaching Makkah. Pilgrims often feel tired after a long journey,” he said.

He also expressed his appreciation for the service provided by the government, through both the Directorate General of Immigration and the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

Agung felt assisted by the presence of officers from the embarkation point onwards.

He hopes that hajj services will continue to improve in the future. Specifically regarding facilities at the pilgrim accommodation, he suggested several improvements.

“Perhaps the services at the pilgrim accommodation could be improved, whether it’s the rooms, facilities, or meals,” he said.

Since its first implementation on April 22nd, 2026, the Immigration Office at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport has served 30,000 pilgrims through the Makkah Route service. It is targeted that a total of 35,285 pilgrims will be served until the last departure on May 21st, 2026.

Soekarno-Hatta Airport serves the departure of prospective hajj pilgrims from three embarkation points: Pondok Gede, Bekasi, and Cipondoh.

Meanwhile, the Makkah Route service is available at four international airports, namely Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Juanda Surabaya Airport, Adi Soemarmo Solo Airport, and Sultan Hasanuddin Makassar Airport.