International travel in Saudi Arabia will resume soon along with the completion of the opening of airports all over the Kingdom on May 17, a Local media report confirms.

In the new circular, the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) informed all airlines, those are operating from Saudi airports about the change of date which was earlier mentioned in the previous circular, for allowing the citizens of Saudi to travel abroad. It also stated the complete lifting of the suspension of international flights and reopening of the kingdom’s airports.

According to the new circular, the move will be implemented from 1:00 a.m. on May 17 (Shawwal 5, 1442).

In the old circular which was issued on Jan. 12, the GACA informed the airlines, about the previously scheduled day, for restarting the airline's services, which was 31st Mar.

Precautionary Measures

The airport authorities stressed that everyone including the airport crew to passengers will have to stick to the required preventive protocols and preventive measures. These strict instructions have been issued by the higher committee, keeping in mind to check the spread of the coronavirus epidemic in the Kingdom.

It should also be kept in mind that the implementation of this above decision to allow travel and return will not apply to those specific countries, which the higher concerned committee has decided to suspend traveling due to the widespread of the pandemic.

Earlier in this year, on 29th Jan, Saudi Arabia postponed the reopening of its sea, land, and airports. It extended its travel ban for the safety of its citizens to May 17 instead of reopening on March 31.

An official source from the interior ministry of Saudi further confirms that the decision was taken; keeping in mind the statement from the health ministry’s as that manufacturers were running behind the schedule in delivering the contracted batches of the COVID-19 vaccine.