Emirates restricts boarding on flights to Saudi Arabia – COVID-19

The ban takes effect on Thursday.

Emirates stated it would now not convey to Saudi Arabia passengers with Umrah pilgrimage visas or vacationers from nearly two dozen international locations till further notice, in compliance with a Saudi government directive to incorporate the coronavirus outbreak.

According to a declaration on its website, Emirates said that due to a directive issued through Saudi Arabia, the following will be suspended entry to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from February 27 till similarly notice:

All clients travelling on an Umrah visa.

All customers holding visitor visas and coming from: People's Republic of China & SAR (Hong Hong & Macau) / Republic of China / Iran / Italy / Korea / Japan / Thailand / Malaysia / Indonesia / Pakistan / Afghanistan / Philippines / Singapore / India / Lebanon / Syria / Yemen / Azerbaijan / Kazakhstan / Uzbekistan / Somalia / Vietnam.

"Customers throughout the Emirates network conserving tickets for very last destination Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with Umrah visa or coming from the above international locations, will now not be widely wide-spread for boarding at their point of origin until similarly notice," it added.

"All GCC nationals visiting to/from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are mandated to use their passports for travel (except for folks that are outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and want to go back to it)", the airline similarly stated.

Earlier today, the foreign ministry of Saudi Arabia has temporarily suspended visas for pilgrims wishing to go to the holy city of Makkah over coronavirus fears.

The ministry said that this precautions comes in of completion of the efforts taken to provide the utmost safety to the safety of citizens and residents and anyone who intends to come back to the the Kingdom to perform Umrah or go to the Prophet's Mosque or for the reason of tourism.

The overseas ministry stated it changed into also postponing visas for tourists travelling from nations where the new virus is a "danger".