Saudi Gazette report

Qataris and expat residents in Qatar who hold valid Haj permits issued by the Ministry of Haj and Umrah in the Kingdom or by Haj affairs authority in Qatar or by those registered in the ministry’s e-portal can come to the Kingdom via airlines other than Qatar Airways chosen by the Qatari government and approved by the General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) in the Kingdom.

Their arrival and departure should be through King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah and Prince Muhammad Bin Abdul Aziz Airport in Madinah only, the ministry said in a statement issued on Thursday.

The statement added that Qataris can continue to perform Umrah anytime and they can come to the Kingdom via any airlines except Qatar Airways.

It said that all Umrah pilgrims — including those from Qatar — performed their rites peacefully and comfortably.

The ministry announced in a previous statement that the number of Umrah visas exceeded 6.75 million this year.