Hajj Reporters
Saudi Arabia General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has issued instructions to all airliners operating in the Saudi airports, regarding the update of lifting travel restrictions on travelers arriving to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
GACA had issued a circular to air carriers operating in Saudi Arabia to lift travel restrictions for 11 countries. The circular provides for permitting entry to the Kingdom for those arriving by air and ending the suspension of travel for those arriving from the following countries: (the United Arab Emirates, the United States of America, the Federal Republic of Germany, Ireland, the Italian Republic, the Portuguese Republic, the United Kingdom, the Kingdom of Sweden, the Swiss Confederation, the Republic of France and Japan).
However, travel to the Kingdom remains suspended from the following countries as of 29 May 2021: Argentina, Brazil, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Lebanon, Pakistan, South Africa and Turkey.
GACA stated that the move is based on the announcement of the competent authorities based on what was presented by the health authorities regarding the stability of the epidemiological situation in a number of declared countries, and the effectiveness of controlling the pandemic in some of these countries. It also stressed the need to adhere to the application of institutional quarantine procedures for those arriving from those countries.
“It is worth noting, that GACA applies all precautionary and preventive measures at the Kingdom’s airports, with the aim of providing an integrated health environment for visitors to the travel terminals in Saudi airports. The measures taken by GACA include requiring all concerned authorities and air transport companies operating in the Kingdom’s airports to comply with health safety requirements and precautionary and preventive measures”.
Saudi Arabia had in February banned those travelling from 20 countries from entering the Kingdom, a move attributed to spread of the coronavirus. UAE, Egypt, Lebanon, and Turkey, as well as the US, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Ireland, Portugal, Switzerland, Sweden, Brazil, Argentina, South Africa, India, Indonesia, Pakistan and Japan were suspended from flying to the Kingdom then.
The ban also applies to travelers who transited through any of those 20 countries 14 days before a planned visit to the Kingdom.
