KUALA LUMPUR: About 1,600 Malaysian umrah pilgrims have been reported stranded in Saudi Arabia following flight cancellations and disruptions by several airlines due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, says Malaysia’s Consul General in Jeddah, Tengku Mohd Dzaraif Raja Abdul Kadir.
He said the consulate managed to successfully reach most of the affected pilgrims, who are currently in Jeddah, Mecca and Madinah.
“Alhamdulillah, they are in good condition, and the situation in Saudi Arabia, especially in Mecca, Madinah and Jeddah, is also very good without any untoward incidents,” he said on Bernama TV’s Malaysia Petang Ini programme yesterday.
Tengku Mohd Dzaraif said most of the stranded pilgrims are scheduled to return home on Malaysia Airlines flights, as well as other carriers including Qatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad.
According to him, there are still direct flights from Jeddah to Kuala Lumpur via Saudia Airlines, in addition to limited AirAsia services.
“Many pilgrims have taken the initiative themselves, or through their travel agents, to switch their flights to Saudia Airlines, and several groups have successfully returned to Malaysia.
“Malaysia Airlines has also generously provided accommodation for pilgrims who were scheduled to return on its flights,” he said.
He also said that the Consulate General of Malaysia in Jeddah has opened a 24-hour operations room to monitor the situation and channel assistance to affected Malaysians.
The consulate is coordinating temporary accommodation and welfare assistance for Malaysians in need, including 19 Malaysian students stranded in Jeddah due to the closure of Jordan’s airspace.
“These students have been provided with temporary accommodation at the consulate and at serviced apartments that we arranged. Alhamdulillah, this morning (yesterday) they departed for home on a specially chartered bus,” he said.
He added that the consulate remains in close contact with the Saudi authorities and is monitoring developments, including the possible need for special flights should the conflict persist.
“For now, we are still assessing the situation based on current developments. Airlines are aware of their responsibilities and are working to find solutions to resume operations,” he said.
The current crisis in the Middle East has prompted several countries to close or restrict their airspace as a precautionary measure, affecting international commercial flight operations.
The uncertain situation has also disrupted flight schedules to and from several major Middle East hubs, including Saudi Arabia, as airlines have been forced to cancel or reschedule flights for safety reasons.
Meanwhile, tour director Ida Riswana Idris said 281 travellers under her company who have completed their pilgrimage in Mecca are unable to return home due to flight disruptions.
Despite the delay, she said the situation on the ground remains calm.
“It is currently safe and peaceful in Mecca and Madinah as the conflict zone is far away.
“Our clients are in good health. It is just that due to flight cancellations, their stay has to be extended,” she said, adding that the tour agency will bear all the additional costs, including accommodation and meals.
Ida said another 20 pilgrims have opted to make their own arrangements to travel home due to prior commitments and other reasons.
Journalist Rahmi Jumriati Jono, who is stranded in Madinah with her mother, sister and several relatives, said they left for Mecca on Feb 22, and were scheduled to return home today.
She said pilgrims in Madinah are safe and not directly impacted by the ongoing regional conflict.
Rahmi said the tour agency she travelled with has made the necessary arrangements and is covering the additional costs for accommodation and meals over the extended stay.
She added that many of those stranded have chosen to view the situation positively.
“The silver lining behind the delay is that most of the stranded pilgrims believe there is divine purpose in what has happened, as it has given us the opportunity to perform more prayers during Ramadan in the holy lands of Mecca and Madinah,” she said.
Several other tour agencies organising trips to the Middle East said it was fortunate most of their clients had landed in Malaysia safely, a day before the flight disruptions.
The flight cancellations occurred after several airlines suspended or rerouted services in parts of the Middle East following heightened tensions in the region.
