Stalled briefly, 120 Solo Umrah pilgrims have returned home

Some 120 Umrah pilgrims from Solo, Central Java, whose return had been temporarily delayed due to the Middle East conflict, have now returned home safely. Meanwhile, the departure of Umrah pilgrims from Solo to the Holy Land is currently confirmed to be proceeding normally.

Chairman of the Association of Umrah and Hajj Travel Agents in Indonesia (Perpuhi) Solo city, Her Suprabu, confirmed that no Solo-based pilgrims were stranded at airports as a result of the Middle East conflict; what occurred was only a delay to departures due to flight cancellations.

They were not stranded. It was only pending because the planes were cancelled. All were facilitated. Some waited two to three days, but now everyone has returned, he said when speaking to reporters at the Dewangga Solo Hajj and Umrah Travel Bureau office on Wednesday, 4 March 2026.

Her explained that during the disruption, pilgrims were pulled back to hotels to await updates on flight schedules. The airport conditions at the time were described as chaotic because many flights were delayed. Now, according to him, flight operations have returned to normal, albeit with longer journey times.

“The route is indeed somewhat longer. It usually takes 8–9 hours; now it can be 10–11 hours to avoid the conflict airspace,” he said.

Her also assured that departures of Solo-based Umrah pilgrims are continuing even though the Middle East conflict has escalated.

“Since the escalation, up to today they can still depart. If via Dewangga, we use Garuda and Saudi Airlines packages. There are departures today, and another two days later,” he said.

According to him, several travel packages were disrupted due to flight cancellations. However, the travel agencies redirected pilgrims to airlines still operating.

“Some packages yesterday faced flight disruptions; we switched to planes that were still operating. There are three still operating: Garuda, Lion, and Saudi Airlines. So pilgrims are still facilitated according to the schedule chosen,” he said.

Regarding the security guarantee of the route, Her said they would continue to follow airline policy. As long as the airline operates and there is no cancellation notice, he assumes the flights are safe.

“As long as the airline permits and continues to operate, there is already a safety consideration. It is not possible for us to force it. If there is no cancellation notice, we assume it is safe,” he said.

On the other hand, he acknowledged there are losses for travel agencies due to cancellations and flight diversions. However, he declined to detail the amounts.

“There are certainly losses. Hotels there cannot refund because they are regarded as having no issue. Tickets also incur price differences; for instance moving from Qatar to Garuda, the difference can be Rp 1 million to Rp 1.5 million per pilgrim,” he said.

That price difference, he added, becomes the agency’s responsibility to cover.

“If you multiply by the number of pilgrims, it would be quite substantial. It is the agency’s responsibility to cover everything. Hopefully there will be an insurance solution because this is force majeure,” he said.

Nevertheless, He urged the public intending to go on Umrah not to worry excessively, provided they follow official guidance and use airlines still operating on safe routes.

Meanwhile, Solo’s Mayor Respati Ardi said the City Government of Solo continues to monitor the situation and stands ready to escort the return of Umrah pilgrims if any hiccups arise.

“We hope that residents facing difficulties there, especially Solo residents, will be able to communicate with us and the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. We will continue to oversee until their return is completed,” he said after meeting with representatives from the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and Perpuhi Solo.

Respati also encouraged Solo residents who already planned and scheduled to perform Umrah to proceed. However, he urged them to use airlines that offer direct flights such as Lion Air and Garuda.

Amid news of the return, some prospective pilgrims remain anxious. Sarifatun, a resident of Pajang, Laweyan district, Solo, said she was briefly frightened by the developments in the Middle East conflict.

“A situation like this makes me afraid. I even considered cancelling, postponing to July or August,” she said.

She was scheduled to depart for Umrah after Eid with eight family members. All administrative tasks, including visas, have been completed. Yet she is still weighing the final decision with her family.

“Yes, hopefully nothing goes wrong if she does go ahead,” she said.