Saudia resumes international flights to 20 cities

Travel begins to return to normal seven months after restrictions imposed to curb spread of coronavirus

Saudia airline has resumed international flights to 20 destinations in the Middle East, Asia and Europe, after seven months of travel disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Kingdom’s flag carrier said permitted travelers could now fly to Amman, Dubai, Tunis, Cairo, Alexandria, Khartoum, Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Istanbul, London, Madrid, Paris, Washington, DC, Islamabad, Jakarta, Karachi, Kuala Lumpur and Manila.

Saudi Arabia partially lifted the suspension of international flights from Sept. 15, six months after travel restrictions were imposed because of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. It will end all restrictions on air, land and sea transport after Jan. 1 next year, the Interior Ministry said, on a specific date to be announced in December. The airline normally flies to more than 85 destinations worldwide.

Meanwhile, the General Directorate of Passports (GDP) called on Saudis and expats traveling from the Kingdom to comply with their destinations’ health requirements and to commit to the directives and regulations.

Some destinations, it said, require a number of procedures and specifications in order to curb the spread of COVID-19 in a way that ensures that the passengers’ flights are not canceled and are not returned to their country upon arrival.

The directorate said that those requirements and procedures are constantly updated and without prior notice. A passport is required for traveling to the Gulf Cooperation Council states and cannot be replaced by a national identity card. Before traveling, citizens must ensure that their passport is valid for no less than three months to Arab countries, and no less than six months to other countries.

To learn about the travel documents’ regulations and instructions, they can visit the GDP’s official website.