Impact of War, Jakarta-Jeddah Ticket Prices Increase by IDR 20 Million
SUARA NEGERI ■ JAKARTA — The surge in flight prices from Saudi Arabia to Indonesia has come under scrutiny amidst the large number of Umrah pilgrims unable to return home due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East. Ticket prices for the Jeddah-Jakarta route have reportedly soared sharply, almost three times the normal price.
According to monitoring on several ticket booking apps, the price of a one-way economy class ticket on Garuda Indonesia from Jeddah to Jakarta, which is usually around IDR 7-8 million, has now soared to IDR 18-20 million per ticket on some flights.
This situation has raised concerns because it could increase the financial burden on pilgrims awaiting confirmation of their return dates. The flight disruptions were triggered by the closure of airspace in several countries due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East involving Israel, the United States, and Iran.
The Secretary General of the Central Executive Board of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (HIPMI), Anggawira, expressed his concern about the situation. He urged the government to take immediate concrete steps to assist affected pilgrims.
"This surge in ticket prices is certainly a significant burden for pilgrims awaiting their return due to flight disruptions," said Anggawira.
HIPMI (Indonesian Muslim Association) is urging the government to immediately coordinate with national airlines to expedite the repatriation of Indonesian pilgrims from Saudi Arabia. Some airlines expected to be involved include Garuda Indonesia, Lion Air, and Batik Air.
Proposed measures include adding flight schedules and providing additional flights to expedite the pilgrim repatriation process.
Furthermore, HIPMI is also asking the government to set a ticket price limit in emergency situations and strengthen oversight to prevent price speculation practices that could harm pilgrims.
According to Anggawira, this situation also serves as an important lesson for future Umrah travel management. He believes a stronger pilgrim protection system is needed, especially to deal with emergencies such as geopolitical conflicts or airspace closures.
One proposed solution is the inclusion of a travel insurance component that can cover force majeure events, including disruptions to international flight operations.
"Indonesia is the country with the largest number of Umrah pilgrims in the world, with more than 1.5 million pilgrims each year. Therefore, a crisis mitigation system for pilgrims must be more thoroughly prepared," said Anggawira.
According to reports from Umrah travel organizers and pilgrim communities, an estimated 54,000 Indonesian Umrah pilgrims are currently in the Holy Land and are potentially affected by flight disruptions due to the escalating conflict in the region.
This situation makes coordination between the government, airlines, and travel organizers crucial to ensure the repatriation process can proceed more quickly and avoid further burdening the pilgrims' costs. (*)
