Indonesian minister urges umrah pilgrims to avoid Singapore and Malaysia transit flights
Indonesia's Deputy Haj and Umrah Minister, Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak, urged umrah pilgrims to avoid transiting through Singapore and Malaysia when travelling to Saudi Arabia.Instead, he recommended prioritising direct flights to Jeddah or Madinah as a "safer" option amid the ongoing Middle East conflict, Kompas reported.Dahnil said on Monday (Oct 26) that an estimated 70,000 Indonesian umrah pilgrims take transit flights through the two countries."If those numbers can be directed to national flights, it will also boost our national economy," said Dahnil, encouraging travellers to support Indonesia's two national airlines instead."Garuda and Lion need to enhance their services, and prices should be competitive," the minister added.He also hoped that umrah travel operators in the country will factor in these safety and economic considerations when planning their flight routes.Singapore's travel advisory for pilgrimsOn Oct 13, Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a travel advisory for umrah pilgrims to defer their travel plans to Saudi Arabia.