Garuda Indonesia Launches Hajj 2026 Flights, Records 100% OTP on First Day

JAKARTA, Jakartaweekly.com – Indonesia’s flag carrier Garuda Indonesia has officially commenced the outbound flight phase of the 1447 Hijri/2026 Hajj pilgrimage, transporting 2,255 pilgrims on the first day from six embarkation points across the country.

Garuda Indonesia President Director Glenny Kairupan said the inaugural flight departed from the Yogyakarta embarkation on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, carrying 360 prospective pilgrims aboard an Airbus A330-300 under flight number GA6501.

The aircraft, he said, took off from Yogyakarta International Airport at 11:40 p.m. Western Indonesia Time and is scheduled to arrive at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah at 6:15 a.m. local time.

“The airline recorded an on-time performance [OTP] of 100% on the first day of departures, including across five main embarkation points, namely Yogyakarta, Jakarta, Medan, Lombok, and Ujung Pandang,” he said in a statement on Thursday, April 23, 2026.

In addition to Yogyakarta, first-day departures were also carried out from Jakarta (391 pilgrims), Solo (360), Lombok (393), Ujung Pandang (391), and Medan (360), he added.

“Being part of one of the most anticipated religious journeys for Indonesian Muslims is not only a significant milestone for us, but also a mandate to ensure that all flight operations run smoothly, safely, and comfortably until the pilgrims return home,” Glenny said.

During this year’s Hajj season, Garuda Indonesia is set to serve around 102,502 pilgrims across 278 flight groups (kloter) from 10 embarkation points, namely Jakarta, Banda Aceh, Medan, Padang, Solo, Yogyakarta, Balikpapan, Banjarmasin, Makassar, and Lombok.

This year also marks the first time the airline has served pilgrim departures from the Yogyakarta embarkation via Yogyakarta International Airport.

The outbound phase is scheduled to run in stages from April 21 to May 21, 2026, with flights bound for Madinah from April 21 to May 6 and Jeddah from May 7 to May 21. The return phase is planned for June 1–30, 2026.

Garuda Indonesia projects that around 18,000 pilgrims, or 18% of total passengers, will be elderly aged over 65, as well as passengers with special needs. To accommodate this, the airline has prepared various supporting facilities, including wheelchairs at all embarkation points, ambulifts in Jakarta and Solo, buses equipped with lavatories, dedicated baggage services, and buggy cars at King Abdulaziz International Airport.

In addition, cabin crew are on standby to provide intensive assistance throughout the flight, particularly for elderly and disabled passengers. The airline also provides two main meal services and one snack, along with in-flight entertainment and portable bidets in lavatories.

To support operations, Garuda Indonesia has deployed more than 1,085 personnel, comprising 731 cabin crew, 354 cockpit crew, and 139 Hajj ground officers.

Glenny added that Hajj flight operations are the result of cross-sector collaboration, with coordination among stakeholders both domestically and internationally being strengthened to ensure smooth operations, safety, and passenger comfort.

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