Saudi allows non-residents to fly out of the Kingdom

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of Saudi Arabia has directed airlines operating in the airports of the Kingdom to transport non-Saudi passengers outside the Kingdom as the country today extended a ban on entry by air, land, and sea for another week.   

The Civil Aviation Authority has permitted foreign airlines to operate charter flights on condition that the crew of a landing plane at the Kingdom's airports do not leave their aircraft nor physically have contact with the arrival airport's ground and operation staff, reports Saudi Gazette. 

The authority clarified that these instructions do not include the countries where the new mutated strain of coronavirus has appeared and that is in accordance with the decision of the competent health authorities.

GACA also instructed that the airlines must coordinate with the Air Transport Department about this before applying for flights.

Last Sunday, Saudi Arabia had shut all its land, air and sea ports for one week amid reports of the appearance of a new mutated strain of coronavirus in a number of European countries.

The Ministry of Interior's move was part of the precautionary measures seeking to ensure the health and safety of citizens.