Umrah Pilgrims Stranded in Saudi Arabia as Middle East Conflict Disrupts Flights
Escalating conflict in the Middle East has not only reshaped the region’s geopolitical landscape but has also left Indonesian umrah pilgrims in an uncertain predicament. Pilgrims who were supposed to return home to Indonesia have been forced to remain in Saudi Arabia after airlines unilaterally cancelled their flights.
One such case involves Jelita Wiyandini, who was scheduled to fly to Indonesia on 28 February 2026 on Etihad Airways. However, upon attempting to check in, she discovered that her flight to Abu Dhabi had been suspended. “The officers said the flight was suspended. I initially thought it was due to weather. It turned out to be because of the war,” said Jelita when contacted on Monday, 2 March 2026.
The airline subsequently announced that all flights that day had been cancelled and requested passengers to find their own accommodation. The airline cited force majeure—extraordinary events beyond human control such as disasters, war, and pandemics—as the reason, meaning compensation did not apply. According to Jelita, this policy was also stated in the airline’s application.
Travelling with her mother and aunt, both over 60 years old, Jelita quickly sought a hotel about four kilometres from the airport. “The important thing was for them to rest first. I would deal with the financial matters later,” she said.
All additional costs, from hotel accommodation to meals and new ticket purchases, had to be borne by the pilgrims themselves. Jelita eventually purchased a budget airline ticket to fly on 3 March through Kuala Lumpur.
Since Saturday evening, 28 February 2026, Jelita had been attempting to contact the Indonesian Consulate General (KJRI) in Jeddah. She claimed to have called the phone number listed in the official advisory flyer, but her WhatsApp messages did not go through. After trying another phone number obtained while roaming, the message finally went through, though the response was deemed slow.
“The reply was perfunctory. They told me to find another ticket and ask the airline for compensation. I was obviously going to do that anyway. There was no empathetic inquiry, such as whether we were safe, had enough food, or needed help,” she said. She also stated that she was asked to provide personal details, but no concrete follow-up action occurred. “There should have been real protection as an extension of government care,” she said.
The situation Jelita experienced was not the worst. She reported meeting other umrah pilgrims who chose to remain in the airport’s prayer room out of fear of venturing outside. They were a mother and daughter on their first trip abroad. “They did not dare leave the airport. Until last night they were still in the prayer room. Imagine how cold it was,” said Jelita.
She also became aware of a male pilgrim who was now running a fever and had depleted his funds after staying at a hotel far from the airport. “Situations like this may not be visible because they are not vocal,” she said.
Jelita hopes there will be more active steps from Indonesian government representatives to directly reach stranded umrah pilgrims, including providing transport assistance to the airport or at least temporary shelter facilities.
Amid an escalating conflict they cannot control, Jelita said the stranded pilgrims now grapple with uncertainty. She hopes the state will be present and respond more swiftly in critical moments like these.
Until this report was published, efforts were being made to seek confirmation from KJRI Jeddah regarding concrete steps taken to assist Indonesian umrah pilgrims affected by flight cancellations due to the regional conflict. However, as of the time of publication, KJRI Jeddah had not provided any response.
Attempts were also made to contact the Minister of Hajj and Umrah Irfan Yusuf, Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak, and the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah spokesperson Ichsan Marsha. However, until this report was published, none of them had provided a response.