Saudia Airlines has clarified that the planned resumption of international flights at 1:00am on May 17 will not include Pakistan and 19 other countries placed on a travel red list in February by the Interior Ministry.
The airline said in a statement on Thursday that they are still awaiting official confirmation from the government regarding the May 17 resumption of international travel but that the 20 countries added to the red list on February 3 would still be off-limits when this happens.
The Saudi government halted all international travel in a bid to stop the spread of Covid-19 to the kingdom but still allowed nationals, their families, medical professionals and diplomats to enter the kingdom subject to home quarantine for 14 days.
On January 29, the kingdom announced that the travel ban was being extended from March 29 to May 17 due to delays in the delivery of Covid-19 vaccinations slowing the national inoculation campaign.
The clarification from Saudi Arabia means those travelling from Pakistan, UAE, US, India, Pakistan, UK, Indonesia, Egypt, Germany, Japan, Ireland, Italy, Argentina, Brazil, Portugal, Turkey, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, France and Lebanon will still be unable to enter the kingdom.
The airline’s travel rules posted online indicate that this extends not just to those coming from those 20 countries, but to anyone who has passed through one of these countries in the last 14 days prior to arrival.
Nationals, their families and domestic employees, medical practitioners and diplomats will still be exempt as long as they undergo a 14-day quarantine on arrival.
All arrivals must undergo PCR testing and download the Health Ministry’s Tatamman and Tawakkalna covid-19 tracking and information phone applications. They must then log their quarantine address and enter a daily health status in the application, the Saudi Airlines travel rules stated.
The airline said travel requirements for international destinations are “constantly updated” based on government rulings.
