"There is no need to increase the number of planes. It would be enough to increase the flight frequencies," PT Garuda Indonesia`s Communications Affairs Chief Pujobroto said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia will not increase the number of airplanes for hajj pilgrimage this year although the Saudi government has increased Indonesia`s hajj quota, a Garuda spokesman said.

"There is no need to increase the number of planes. It would be enough to increase the flight frequencies," PT Garuda Indonesia`s Communications Affairs Chief Pujobroto said here on Monday.

Pujobroto did not explain the increase flight frequency, however. This is because the religious affairs ministry has not been informed about the increase in the number of would-be pilgrims to be flown by Garuda.

"About the increase in the flight frequency we sill are waiting for the exact quota for Garuda, namely the additional quota from the present 108-110 thousand pilgrims from nine embarkation points," he said.

He said that in order to transport such a number of hajj pilgrims, Garuda had prepared 14 wide bodied airplanes and their crews. The latest production year of the planes is in 2009.

"The 800 cabin crew members are especially recruited from various regions," Pujobroto said.

The Saudi government has complied with the Indonesia request for an additional 10.000 hajj quota so that the total number of Indonesian would-be hajj pilgrims this year increases to 221,000.

The increase in the number of Indonesia`s hajj pilgrimage quota was disclosed by Religious Affairs Suryadharma Ali upon his arrival here at Soekarno-Hatta airport from Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

Accompanied by Secretary General of the Religious Affairs Ministry Bahrul Hayat and Directorate General for Hajj Affairs Slamet Riyanto, the minister has returned from checking the hajj preparations in Saudi Arabia.

The minister said that about 7,000 of additional quota would be given to regular hajj services so that the number of would-be regular hajj pilgrims had increased to 201,000.

"Some 3,000 of the additional quota will be given to those who are going on hajj pilgrimage under a special hajj pilgrimage program," the minister added.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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