UAE residents will not be able to travel to Saudi Arabia this summer. The Kingdom on 3 July announced the suspension of flights from four countries, including the UAE. Saudi has suspended arrivals from the UAE, Ethiopia, Vietnam and Afghanistan due to the rapid spread of Covid-19 variants. The Saudi Ministry of Interior said the ban would start from 11pm on 4 July. In line with the ban, Emirates and Etihad airlines have suspended flights to and from Saudi Arabia from 4 July. Read on for more details.
Emirates, Etihad Suspend Flights To & From Saudi From 4 July
Travelers from UAE, Ethiopia, Vietnam and Afghanistan cannot travel ‘without permission’ to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Besides, the ministry also added that those who enter Saudi Arabia before 11 pm on 4 July would be exempt from entering quarantine. In line with the new ban, Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways and Dubai’s Emirates on 4 July announced the suspension of flights to and from Saudi Arabia starting Sunday, July 4.
“In line with the latest directive issued by the government of Saudi Arabia, passenger travel between the UAE and Saudi Arabia has been suspended, effective from 23:00 Saudi local time on July 4, 2021, until further notice,” Etihad said in a statement on its website.
Meanwhile Emirates on its website said: “Customers with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as their final destination, arriving on/after July 5, 2021, will not be accepted for travel at their point of origin.”
In May, Saudi Arabia lifted travel restrictions on 11 countries, including the UAE. On 17 May, Saudi opened land and sea borders, permitting vaccinated Saudi citizens as well as those who had recovered from Covid-19 to travel outside the country after 14 months.
From August Only Vaccinated People Will Be Allowed To Enter The Malls In Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is doing everything it can to vaccinate its citizens ASAP, and very soon, only vaccinated people will be allowed to enter into any enclosed public places. As per the reports, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will ban people from entering shopping malls unless they have received a jab against Covid-19. The rule will come into effect from August 1, 2021.
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Saudi Arabia’s 40 Per Cent Of The Population Has Received At Least One Does
People who have received at least one shot will only be allowed to enter the shopping malls. So far, 40 per cent of the Kingdom’s population has received one jab since the start of the vaccination campaign. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia on 12 June announced that only residents and citizens of the kingdom will be permitted to perform Hajj this year. Furthermore, pilgrim numbers have been limited to 60,000, in order to curb the spread of the pandemic.
Also read: Saudi Arabia Lifts Mandatory Quarantine For Vaccinated Travellers From The UAE