Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak, officially saw off the first group of Indonesian Hajj pilgrims as they prepared for their journey home from the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah on Monday, June 1. The departure marks the beginning of the return phase for the Batam (BTH-2) embarkation group.
During the send-off ceremony, Dahnil expressed his heartfelt hopes for the safe return of the pilgrims to Indonesia. He extended his prayers that all pilgrims from the Riau Islands and surrounding regions would return home safely and attain the title of Haji Mabrur (accepted Hajj) and Hajah Mabruroh, while remaining in good health throughout their journey back to their families.
On behalf of the government and President Prabowo Subianto, Dahnil took a moment to offer a sincere apology to the pilgrims for any shortcomings that may have occurred during the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage. He emphasized that the ministry is committed to acknowledging areas for improvement and deeply regrets any services that may not have met the expectations or convenience of the pilgrims.
Dahnil clarified that any operational errors or shortcomings are the sole responsibility of the leadership, specifically himself and the Minister of Hajj, Mochamad Irfan Yusuf. He expressed high praise for the dedicated Hajj officers—including doctors, nurses, and airport staff—who worked tirelessly, even beyond their expected hours, to provide support across the sacred sites of Arafat, Muzdalifah, and Mina. He insisted that the staff had performed admirably and that any administrative faults should not be attributed to them.
Concluding his remarks, Dahnil shared his well-wishes for the pilgrims, asking them to convey his warm greetings to their families waiting back in Indonesia. He wished them a healthy and smooth journey home.
The return process officially began on June 1, starting with the Surabaya (SUB-1) flight cluster, which departed at 03:00 AM local time. This marked the commencement of a continuous stream of departures for various other clusters.
The repatriation of pilgrims will be carried out in two distinct waves. The first wave will see pilgrims returning via King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah from June 1 to June 15, 2026. This will be followed by the second wave, with departures scheduled through the Prince Mohammed Bin Abdul Aziz Airport in Madinah between June 16 and June 30, 2026.
Summary
Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak, officially saw off the first group of Indonesian Hajj pilgrims as they began their return journey from King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah on June 1, 2026. During the ceremony, he expressed hopes for the pilgrims’ safe return and prayed that they would attain the title of Haji Mabrur. On behalf of the government, he also offered a sincere apology for any service shortcomings encountered during the pilgrimage.
Dahnil emphasized that operational errors are the responsibility of the leadership rather than the dedicated Hajj officers who served tirelessly at sacred sites. The repatriation process is organized into two waves, with the first wave departing from Jeddah until June 15, and the second wave departing from Madinah between June 16 and June 30, 2026. This staggered schedule ensures a continuous and orderly return for all Indonesian pilgrims.