Saudi Arabia to resume domestic flights from today
Saudi Arabia will gradually resume domestic flights, beginning on Sunday (May 31) as it eases coronavirus lockdown measures, according to a statement from the Kingdom’s General Authority of Civil Aviation.
The coronavirus pandemic ‘nearly paralyzed’ the global transport sector, a Saudi government minister said Saturday, as the Kingdom prepared for domestic flights to resume on Sunday morning.
Around 100 flights are due to take off and things will soon be back to normal despite the disruption of the past few months, the Minister of Transport Eng. Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser said.
The minister, who was inspecting the readiness of Terminal 1 at King Abdulaziz International Airport to welcome travelers, is also chairman of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA).
During the inspection tour, Al-Jasser assessed the abidance on the ground the precautionary measures to combat novel coronavirus and all other protocols.
GACA President Abdulhadi Bin Ahmed Al-Mansouri accompanied him during the visit. Working plan to shift flights to the Hall N.1 at the airport, in collaboration with national airliners, has been set in process, it was revealed.
The operation would be gradually expanded during the next coming phases, before operating in full capacity, at all airports, in Saudi Arabia.
Earlier, the national carrier Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) started implementing preventive measures relating to the resumption of domestic flights, set to begin on Sunday.
The airlines expressed keenness on putting the protocols in place for guests and staff safety, within the context of combat novel coronavirus. The airliner will carry out all transactions via its official website and other online platforms, or on smart applications.
It would also abide by the precautionary measures such as putting on the medical/cloth masks, observing social distancing at airports, among other safety measures.
