Easing lockdown: Saudi Arabia to reopen 11 airports for domestic flights

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia announced on Wednesday to resume domestic flight operations from May 31 after making the announcement of easing COVID-19 lockdown measures yesterday, ARY News reported.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) announced that the domestic flights will be resumed in phases for all ‘domestic destinations’ within two weeks, reported the state news agency Saudi Gazette.

The GACA’s statement also read that the aviation authority completed its operational preparations to gradually resume the domestic flights to ensure a safe travel journey for travellers through Saudi airports while taking all necessary precautions and health measures in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and relevant government agencies.

Eleven airports will be used in the first phase as Saudi airlines will be granted permission to operate from and to Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Madinah, Qassim, Abha, Tabuk, Jazan, Hail, Al-Baha and Najran.

Sixty flights will resume each day in the first phase, reported Reuters.

It is pertinent to mention here that the GACA had suspended domestic flight operation on March 21 in wake of the spread of coronavirus pandemic.