Photographer: Giuseppe Cacace / AFP / Getty Images
Photographer: Giuseppe Cacace / AFP / Getty Images
Saudi Arabia’s aviation authority has authorized airlines to resume flights to transport foreigners out of the kingdom, state television reported.
The decision excludes countries dealing with the new variant of Covid-19 and flight crew members landing in the kingdom will not be allowed to leave their planes, the report said.
Saudi Arabia also extended the suspension on international flights and the closure of the border crossing for another week over concerns about the new coronavirus strain, the state-run Saudi Press Agency reported separately. Flights for foreigners wishing to leave the country and cargo are excluded from the move, according to the report.
Saudi Arabia suspended all international flights a week ago, citing a lack of information on the new species, SPA then reported. The move followed a decision in the UK to impose a lockdown in London and South East England to keep the then rapidly spreading strain of the coronavirus under control.
(Adds details on international flight suspension in 3rd paragraph.)