Contributor - Middle East

Peter Shaw-Smith

Saudi Arabian Airlines has announced draconian measures to deal with the Covid-19 virus, as concern in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) mounts about the region's ability to contain the outbreak in a global crossroads.

 


The airline&nbsp;has announced several updates on curtailment of services, suspending the arrival of all passengers from the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Italy, and South&nbsp;Korea to any of the kingdom's airports, or any passengers who had been in any of those&nbsp;countries in the last 14 days before arrival in the kingdom.

 


Authorities temporarily&nbsp;have put on hold the year-round Umrah pilgrimage and suspended the entry of GCC country citizens to the two holy cities of Makkah and Medina, “except for GCC countries' citizens who have a permit for that, which can be obtained through the website of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.”

 


Meanwhile, Riyadh has rescinded tourist visas, which newly became available online last year, for nationals from the People's&nbsp;Republic of China, as well as Iran, Italy, South&nbsp;Korea, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Philippines, Singapore, India, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Somalia, and Vietnam.

 


UAE airlines Emirates, Flydubai, and Air Arabia announced updated fee waiver policies for passengers and confirmed the cancellation of several services to Saudi Arabia.

 


Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways on Monday suspended “temporarily all flights between Abu Dhabi and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in response to a directive from the General Authority for Civil Aviation, Saudi Arabia, to help prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus,” it said. Etihad had operated up to 12 flights per day between the two countries.&nbsp;

 


Kuwait's Directorate General of Civil Aviation informed airlines operating at Kuwait International Airport on&nbsp;March 7 of the suspension of all flights to and from Bangladesh, the Philippines, India, Sri Lanka, Syria, Lebanon, and Egypt&nbsp;for one week to assess the measures adopted to stem the spread of Covid-19 virus.

 


Emirates travel guidance updated Monday said several countries had imposed travel and immigration restrictions. “All customers are requested to check relevant travel advisories from and to the countries to which they are traveling," it said. "This is a dynamic situation and it is the responsibility of the customer to ensure there are no entry restrictions at their travel destination."

 


Separately, a&nbsp;spokesperson&nbsp;for Saudia confirmed&nbsp;yesterday that CEO Jaan Albrecht had stepped down as of February, and Ibrahim Koshy, a Saudi national, took over the position. Koshy has served as a pilot for the airline for more than 28 years. The graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University also&nbsp;served as director-general of the kingdom’s Aviation Investigation Bureau from 2012 to 2016 and was Saudi Arabia’s vice president of safety and quality from 2016 to 2017.

News about commercial airlines, including regulations, aircraft orders, safety, acquisitions, and mergers.

Saudi Arabia Severely Curtails Travel Through Its Airports

Middle East airlines have announced updated fee waiver policies to help passengers plan around the coronavirus disruption. 

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Charles Alcock

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

News about environmental issues relating to aircraft operations, including noise issues, emissisions, and regulations. See Fuel for biofuel.

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Agreement between start-ups could lead to orders for up to 15 aircraft

Skyhop Plans Island Routes With Noemi's Electric Seaplane

Howard Hardee

Airline plans to gradually replace its Embraer E-Jet fleet

A220’s Performance Drives BermudAir’s Fleet Growth

Partners say eVTOLs could accelerate response times in crowded Indian cities

Air India Backs SkyDrive Emergency Medical eVTOL Plans

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

Rival Boeing arguably claimed bragging rights at the Farnborough International show

Airbus Balances Shareholder Returns and New Aircraft

New developments at airports including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.

Connections to London Heathrow and Manchester airports will start first

Virgin Firms Up eVTOL Air Taxi Alliance with Joby

News and developments about everything that goes into the cabin of an aircraft, from floor coverings to headliners, with a special emphasis on in-flight entertainment, communications and other electronics for passengers. If it is in the cabin of an aircraft, it’s covered here.

More In Airlines

Skyhop Plans Island Routes With Noemi's Electric Seaplane

Agreement between start-ups could lead to orders for up to 15 aircraft

A220’s Performance Drives BermudAir’s Fleet Growth

Airline plans to gradually replace its Embraer E-Jet fleet

Air India Backs SkyDrive Emergency Medical eVTOL Plans

Partners say eVTOLs could accelerate response times in crowded Indian cities

Airbus Balances Shareholder Returns and New Aircraft

Rival Boeing arguably claimed bragging rights at the Farnborough International show

Virgin Firms Up eVTOL Air Taxi Alliance with Joby

Connections to London Heathrow and Manchester airports will start first

ATR Chases New Regional Markets for Twin Turboprops

Iran war and wider geopolitical pressure stall buying decisions

Embraer Racks Up E-Jet Orders at Farnborough

30 firm orders led by Abra

Gulf Air May Buy JetZero’s Blended-wing-body Z4

Japan Airlines also expresses interest at Farnborough Airshow

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN