Inp.polri.go.id - Medan.  Authorities at Medan Airport said that umrah flights from Indonesia, including those from Kualanamu International Airport, do not pass through the Israel-Iran conflict airspace.

"Umrah flight routes from Indonesia avoid Iran, particularly the conflict-prone region of Israel," Sokhib Al Rokhman, the Head of the Medan Airport Authority, in Deli Serdang, North Sumatra, on Monday (15/4/2024).

He emphasized that umrah flights from Indonesia to Saudi Arabia via the Middle East are considered safe, including those serviced by various airlines at Kualanamu International Airport.

"For instance, Lion Air's routes remain unaffected. Flights from Kualanamu transit in Colombo for technical reasons before continuing to Saudi Arabia," Sokhib explained, as reported by antaranews.com.

Similarly, Qatar Airways flights transit from Kualanamu to Doha, Qatar, before proceeding to Saudi Arabia for Umrah.

Data from the North Sumatra Provincial Ministry of Religious Affairs indicates a 36.54% increase in Umrah travelers in 2023 compared to 2022, reaching approximately 38,224 pilgrims.

"The route from Doha to Saudi Arabia is also secure. Our flights have never passed through Iran," Sokhib reiterated, emphasizing that the Ministry of Transportation awaits official notifications on airspace restrictions over the Middle East.

(mg/inp/pr/nm)