The first flights of the Makkah Route Initiative depart from Surabaya, Indonesia
The first flights carrying pilgrims benefiting from the Makkah Route Initiative from Surabaya, Indonesia, bound for Saudi Arabia. The flight departed from the initiative's dedicated terminal at Juanda International Airport in Surabaya, heading directly to Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah, amidst a comprehensive system of technical and logistical services designed to facilitate the pilgrims' performance of their rituals with ease and peace of mind.
Exceptional facilities offered by the Makkah Route Initiative for pilgrims
The Makkah Route Initiative , a leading program serving pilgrims, aims to enhance the quality of services provided to Hajj pilgrims from participating countries. These services include streamlining all travel procedures from their home countries, starting with biometric data collection (fingerprinting) and issuing Hajj visas electronically, followed by passport control at the departure airport after verifying compliance with health requirements. Furthermore, luggage is tagged and sorted according to transportation and accommodation arrangements within the Kingdom, allowing pilgrims to proceed directly to designated buses that transport them to their accommodations in Makkah and Madinah via dedicated routes. Partner organizations then deliver their luggage directly to their rooms, eliminating any hassle.
Historical background and development of the initiative over the years
This trip comes as part of the eighth year of the initiative's implementation, which was first launched experimentally in 1438 AH (2017 AD), and achieved successive successes that made it a fundamental pillar in the plans to develop Hajj and Umrah services in line with the Kingdom's Vision 2030. Since its launch, the initiative has succeeded in providing its high-quality services to more than 1,254,994 pilgrims from various benefiting Islamic countries, reflecting the Kingdom's continuous commitment to harnessing all human and technological capabilities for the comfort of the pilgrims of the Sacred House of God and providing an easy and trouble-free spiritual journey.
Regional and international impact and integration of government entities
The initiative has garnered widespread international and regional acclaim, representing a unique model of international cooperation and the application of modern technologies to serve humanity. A comprehensive system of Saudi government entities is involved in its implementation, including the Ministry of Interior, in collaboration with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Health, Hajj and Umrah, and Media; the General Authority of Civil Aviation; the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority; the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA); the General Authority for Endowments; the Guests of God Service Program; and the General Directorate of Passports, in digital partnership with stc Group. This governmental and technological integration ensures smooth flow and reduces waiting times at Saudi airports to mere minutes, further solidifying the Kingdom's leading position in crowd management and the provision of humanitarian and logistical services globally.
