All the hajj pilgrims (scheduled to leave on Tuesday) should enter their dormitories on Monday ..."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - A great number of Indonesian hajj pilgrims will leave for Saudi Arabia starting Tuesday from nine embarkation airports, an official has said.

A total of 157,120 pilgrims will depart in 384 regular batches of flights, Director of Hajj Services of the Religious Affairs Ministry Ahda Barori said in his press statement received here.

The hajj pilgrims are scheduled to embark from Padang at 06.25 a.m. Western Indonesia Standard Time (WIB), from Jakarta-Pondok Gede at 08.15 a.m. WIB, from Batam at 09.30 a.m. WIB, Makasar (UPG) at 09.40 a.m. Central Indonesia Standard Time (WITA), Jakarta-Bekasi (JKT-BKSI) and Surabaya (SUB) at 10.30 a.m. WIB, Medan at 12.30 p.m. WIB, Solo at 04.40 p.m. WIB, and Banjarmasin (BDJ) at 11.30 p.m. WITA.

"All the hajj pilgrims (scheduled to leave on Tuesday) should enter their dormitories on Monday (Aug 8) for round the clock before leaving for the Saudi Arabia on Tuesday," Barori said, adding that 11 batches of flights will depart on Tuesday.

In addition, another three embarkation airports which will depart the hajj pilgrims on August 10 are in Balikpapan at 01.25 a.m. WITA, Palembang at 08.30 a.m. WIB, and Aceh at 07.20 p.m. WIB.

The flights will depart in two phases. The first lot of flights will depart between August 9 and 21, while the second lot will depart between August 21 and September 5.

In the meantime, the ministry of Transportation has also coordinated with relevant institutions, including the Hajj flight operator, the Indonesian flight carrier, Garuda Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia Airlines.

This year, Garuda will be providing 12 planes. These will be Boeing 777 and 747, and Airbus A330.

Meanwhile, the Saudi Arabia Airlines provides Boeing 747 and Airbus A330.

(Reported by Gusti NC Aryani/B003/A014)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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