Saudi Arabia will allow foreigners to leave the kingdom on outbound flights, despite extending its suspension of international flights and the closure of its borders for an additional week.
The kingdom's aviation authority is allowing some airlines to resume outbound charter flights for non-citizens stranded in the country, said the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation.
Flights will resume to countries that are not battling the new variant of Covid-19. Permission for such flights is given on the understanding that all crew members arriving in the kingdom do not leave the aircraft. Crew must also not have any contact with ground staff at airports in Saudi Arabia.
The National has approached Emirates, Etihad and flydubai for more information on flights to the UAE from Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia plans to continuously assess the situation and the suspension of travel could be further extended if necessary, reports the state-run Saudi Press Agency. Flights for foreigners who want to leave the country and cargo are excluded from the recent extension of the flight ban.
Which airlines are flying out of Saudi Arabia?
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Pakistan International Airlines
Non-Saudis will be allowed to leave the kingdom on flights to Pakistan. According to a release from Pakistan International Airlines, flights from Saudi Arabia was due to resume on Monday, December 28. Only Pakistani citizens in Saudi Arabia will be allowed to travel on the flights.
Saudia
The national airline of Saudi Arabia is allowing non-Saudi travellers to fly abroad, depending on the availability of flights, it said on its Twitter account. Dubai International Airport's arrival board lists Saudi Arabian Airlines flights operating to the emirate from Riyadh and Jeddah as of Monday, December 28.
Flynas
Flynas said on Twitter that it would be making an announcement shortly on the resumption of international flights for travellers looking to leave Saudi Arabia. Flights were scheduled to land in Dubai International Airport from Riyadh and Jeddah on Monday, December 28.
Emirates
Emirates had suspended all flights to and from Saudi Arabia from December 21 until December 27. The National has emailed the airline for an update on flights from Saudi for outbound travellers. Flights to Dubai from Jeddah and Riyadh are available to book on the airline's website from December 28.
flydubai
Dubai's low-cost airline has reinstated flights from the kingdom to Dubai.
"Flydubai flights from Dammam International Airport and Riyadh International Airport will be reinstated from Tuesday, December 29," a spokesman for the airline said.
"Restrictions remain in place and passengers are advised to regularly check the IATA Travel Centre website ahead of their flights."
The airline reminded travellers that only non-Saudi passengers are allowed on flights to Dubai.
Etihad
Etihad suspended flights to and from the kingdom on December 21, stating that flights would be banned "until further notice". An update on flights to Abu Dhabi from Saudi Arabia is expected from the national airline of the UAE soon. Currently, flights from Saudi Arabia to the UAE capital are available to book from Wednesday, December 30, on the airline's website.
Air India
Air India announced it was resuming some outbound flights from Saudi Arabia to India from Monday, December 28. The airline made the announcement on its Twitter page.
Air Arabia
The National has approached Air Arabia for an update on suspended flights from Saudi Arabia. Flights from Riyadh to Sharjah are currently available to book on the low-cost airline's website from Tuesday, December 29.
Saudi Arabia suspended all international flights last week, in an attempt to control the spread of a new strain of Covid-19. The move followed a decision in the UK to impose a wide-reaching lockdown.
