INFOKU, BLORA -Ngloram Airport, Cepu, Blora, Central Java officially started feeder flight services for Umrah pilgrims, Thursday (16/11/2023) evening.
Around 50 Umrah pilgrims from Blora Regency flew to Halim Perdanakusuma using ATR-72 aircraft, owned by Citilink airline.
The Regent of Blora, H. Arief Rohman, and his family were also seen in the Umrah group.
On that flight, apart from around 50 Umrah pilgrims, there were also a number of other passengers bound for Jakarta.
During the departure of the first Umrah flight from Ngloram Airport on Thursday evening, members of Commission V DPR RI were present,
Gus An'im Falahuddin Mahrus, who is in charge of Infrastructure, Transportation, Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration. Also the ranks of Forkopimda Blora, Head of Ministry of Religion Blora, Regional Secretary, and Forkopimcam Cepu.
Also read: Great..... Ngloram Airport in Blora will serve Umrah flights
On that occasion, Gus An'im, who is also a member of the Lirboyo Kediri Islamic Boarding School, appreciated the hard efforts of the Regent of Blora, in order to optimize Ngloram Airport.
"I salute the Regent, who continues to innovate to optimize Ngloram Airport. So that the existence of this airport can be beneficial for the community, one of which is by opening Umrah feeder flights like this. We hope that in the future Ngloram Airport can develop to serve more flights, considering Cepu "Blora has a strategic location on the border of Central Java and East Java," said Gus An'im.
"Congratulations to the Regent and his staff, I hope the Umrah pilgrimage goes smoothly, a blessing for Blora. We represent Commission V of the Indonesian House of Representatives and are ready to continue to support the development of transportation infrastructure in areas that have good potential like Blora," he continued.
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Regent Arief Rohman expressed his gratitude for the opening of Umrah feeder flights at Ngloram Airport.
Bojonegoro, Tuban, Rembang
According to him, the departure of prospective Umrah pilgrims from Ngloram Airport is considered to be able to save travel time.
"The first is of course to optimize Ngloram Airport. "And help make it easier for people to carry out the Umrah pilgrimage, saving travel time for Umrah pilgrims," he said.
The first Umrah feeder flight was only Umrah pilgrims from Blora Regency who took part.
However, he hopes that in the future Umrah travel agencies from neighboring areas such as Bojonegoro, Tuban, Rembang and others will also be able to take advantage of feeder flights from Ngloram.
"Interest in Umrah from Bojonegoro, Tuban, Rembang is also high. We are optimistic that this feeder flight will also be able to attract Umrah travel agents from these areas. So that in the future Ngloram Airport will continue to develop," added the Regent.
Also read: Exploring Aerotourism Potential at Ngloram Cepu Airport, Blora Collaborates with JFC
Apart from the Umrah feeder flights, the Regent, who is familiarly called Gus Arief, also explained that the optimization of Ngloram Airport was also carried out using other schemes.
Namely, the plan is that there will also be a flight school, then JFC (Jogja Flying Club) in the context of Aerowisata Blora and several others, while waiting for regular flights to reopen.
It is known that the opening of the Umrah feeder flight at Ngloram Airport is a follow-up to the cooperation agreement between the Umrah bureau PT. Jaho Mulya Sunjaya with a number of Regional Owned Enterprises (BUMD) banking in Blora Regency.
Such as Bank Jateng, Perumda BPR Bank Blora Artha, PT BPR BKK Blora (Perseroda), Karya Sejahtera Cooperative in the Hall of the Blora Regent's Official House, last Wednesday (4/10/2023).
Director of PT. Jaho Mulya Sunjaya, Arifah Mulyani revealed his reasons for choosing Ngloram Airport as the 'feeder' airport for the Umrah pilgrimage.
This is because the potential for potential Umrah pilgrims in Blora Regency and its surroundings is quite extraordinary.
"The potential for Umrah pilgrims I see in Blora is extraordinary, especially as I see many Islamic boarding schools, and we can see the public's interest every year, I read that the data is very high," said Arifah Mulyani.
Separately, the Head of UPBU Dewandaru, Ariadi Widiawan, expressed his pleasure and appreciation for the support of the Blora Regency Government in optimizing Ngloram Airport.
"Mr Regent, he never stops innovating so that Ngloram Airport has flights. One of them is with this Umrah feeder. We are ready to support it, especially since the queue for regular Hajj is very long. Many people want to perform Umrah. So this is the right program to optimize Ngloram Airport," he said . (Setyorini/ IST )
