JEDDAH: Indonesia’s national airline, Garuda Indonesia, plans to operate 261 Haj flights to transport the country’s pilgrims for this year’s annual pilgrimage.

“We are sharing the transport arrangement for the Indonesian quota of 200,000 pilgrims in both Phase One and Two with Saudi Arabian Airlines like in the previous years,” Garuda Indonesia’s senior general manager for Asia, Europe and Middle East, said at the opening of its new general sales agent (GSA) office at Al-Nakheel Center on Tuesday night. Elaf Group’s Deputy CEO Tarik H. Nabulsi and Iswandi Said jointly opened the new office. Elaf Aviation, part of the Elaf Group, is the new GSA of Indonesia’s national carrier for the Western Province.

The airline has been transporting thousands of pilgrims during the yearlong Umrah season, Iswandi said. The carrier, with its fleet of 62 aircraft, serves 48 destinations within Indonesia and 22 others overseas.