Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has directed airlines operating in the airports of the Kingdom to transport non-Saudi passengers outside the Kingdom, and that is in total compliance with the precautionary measures to stem the spread of coronavirus.

GACA has given permission to foreign airlines to operate charter flights for this purpose on the condition that the crew of a landing plane at the Kingdom’s airports do not leave their plane, and that they do not physically have contact with the ground/operation staff of the arrival airport.

The authority clarified that these instructions do not include the countries where the new mutated strain of coronavirus has appeared and that is in accordance with the decision of the competent health authorities. GACA also instructed that the airlines must coordinate with the Air Transport Department about this before applying for flights.

Last Sunday, Saudi Arabia had shut all its land, air and sea ports for one week amid reports of the appearance of a new mutated strain of coronavirus in a number of European countries. The Ministry of Interior’s move was part of the precautionary measures seeking to ensure the health and safety of citizens.