Ministry of Transportation Reprimands Garuda to Improve 2024 Hajj Services

The Ministry of Transportation asked PT Garuda Indonesia to give top priority in the national program for implementing Hajj transportation in 2024.

KOMPAS/P RADITYA MAHENDRA YASA

Hajj candidates climb the stairs of an airplane before departing for the holy city of Mecca from Adi Soemarmo Airport in Boyolali Regency, Central Java on Sunday (12/5/2024).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The Ministry of Transportation has reprimanded PT Garuda Indonesia regarding the many complaints and input regarding Garuda airline services in organizing the 2024 Hajj. The Ministry of Transportation stated that it had taken firm action against Garuda to immediately improve its services.

"We have listened to complaints filed by the community or other stakeholders regarding Garuda airline flights. Therefore, we have followed up on this matter by issuing a warning and taking strict action to ensure that some improvements are made immediately," said Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi in a press release on Friday (May 24, 2024).

A warning letter has been issued by the Director General of Civil Aviation via letter number AU.402/2/21/DJPU.DKPPU-2024. This letter contains a warning regarding the Hajj transportation on May 17 2024 and the inability to operate several Hajj transportation aircraft in 2024 due to technical problems. As a result, the departure schedule for pilgrims at several Hajj embarkations was disrupted.

Also read: Repeated Flight Delays for Prospective Hajj Pilgrims

In addition to warnings, the Minister of Transportation also requested Garuda to make improvements so that the departure phase of Hajj pilgrims in 2024 can proceed according to schedule and to meet the deadline of June 10th, 2024.

"First, we ask that PT Garuda Indonesia give top priority in the national program for implementing Hajj transportation in 2024. Second, that Garuda immediately prepare a mitigation plan and immediately report accelerated steps for the recovery of delays in Indonesian Hajj transportation flights in 2024. to the Director General of Civil Aviation," said Budi, in the same press release.

KOMPAS/FERGANATA INDRA RIATMOKO

The board of directors of PT Garuda Indonesia (Persero) waved their hands to the prospective Hajj pilgrims who would take off from Adi Soemarmo International Airport in Boyolali, Central Java, heading to Saudi Arabia in the early hours of Sunday (07/07/2019).

A warning letter was also given regarding the return to base (RTB) incident of a Garuda aircraft, with flight number GA 1105, type Boeing 747-400 with ER-BOS registration, for the departure of the Hajj pilgrims embarking in Makassar Cluster 5 at Sultan International Airport. Hasanuddin Makassar (UPG), to Medina (MED), on Tuesday, May 15 2024.

"We also ask Garuda Indonesia to ensure the readiness of their aircraft, both operationally and in terms of maintenance, during the implementation of the 2024 Hajj flight transportation. In addition, good coordination needs to be improved between PT Garuda Indonesia and the owners of the leased aircraft," said the Minister of Transportation.

In addition to those two points, the Ministry of Transportation also requested Garuda to improve its supervision of the condition of the aircraft used during the transportation of hajj pilgrims in 2024. This was emphasized to ensure that similar incidents do not happen again on the next departure.

We also ask Garuda Indonesia to ensure the readiness of their aircrafts, both operationally and in terms of maintenance, during the implementation of the 2024 Hajj transportation flights.

Previously, in a press statement regarding the RTB incident on GA 1105 on the Makassar-Madinah route, on May 15, Garuda Indonesia President Director Irfaniaputra in a press release said that the aircraft which was Group 5 from Makassar embarked carried out the RTB procedure as a quick step to mitigate risks in the aspect of < i>safety and operational security on the flight.

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

PPIH officers are preparing identification bracelets for prospective hajj pilgrims at the Asrama Haji Pondok Gede embarkation complex in East Jakarta on Saturday (11/5/2024). Indonesian hajj pilgrims are divided into 554 flight groups (kloter), comprising 294 flight kloters with Garuda Indonesia airlines and 260 kloters with Saudia Airlines.

The decision was made by the Pilot in Command (PIC) of the RTB immediately after takeoff, taking into account the condition of the aircraft engine's constraints that require further inspection, after it was discovered that there was a spark in one of the engines. As a result, the aircraft engine was required to undergo a thorough checking procedure as part of efforts to ensure the fleet's readiness to operate again.

”We need to convey that the flight has landed safely at Sultan Hasanuddin Airport, Makassar, at 17.15 LT(local time). "All passengers are being directed back to the dormitory to wait for the replacement plane to be ready."

Previously, GA-1105 operated by a B747-400 fleet departed from Sultan Hasanuddin Airport at 3:30 PM local time and was scheduled to arrive at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah at 9:10 PM local time. The flight carried at least 450 passengers, who were a group of prospective hajj pilgrims from the Makassar embarkation point, as well as 18 crew members.

Also read: Flights of Prospective Hajj Pilgrims Experience Delays in the First Week

"We apologize for the inconvenience that occurred to all pilgrims on that flight and also to the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs as the organizer of the Hajj. Garuda Indonesia is currently coordinating intensively with related parties to ensure the follow-up handling of pilgrims so that they can continue their journey," said Irfan Setiaputra.