Saudi extends suspension of international and domestic flights, buses, taxis

In light of the recent surge of Covid-19 cases in the kingdom, Saudi Arabia has extended the suspension of all international passengers flights to the kingdom – excluding exceptional cases – until further notice.

Domestic passenger flights as well as buses, taxis and train activities, also continue to be suspended, until further notice.

The kingdom also announced that its private and public sector entities would continue to work remotely from home.

This suspension does not extend to ‘excluded parties’ amidst government agencies, Saudi Press Agency reported, citing a source at the Ministry of Interior.

To curb the spread of the Covid-19 infection, effective March 16, the kingdom had decided to suspend work in government departments for a period of 16 days. The directive had extended to all government agencies with the exception of the health, security and military sectors, the electronic security centre and the distant education system.

Read: Saudi Arabia suspends work at govt departments for 16 days

Immediately following this directive came another move that had entailed all private sector employees to work from homes for 15 days while also suspending prayers in mosques – with the exception of the two holy mosques in Makkah and Madinah.

All activities related to the provision of food and medicine and the supply chain and logistical services related to them were exempt from the directive.

Read more: Saudi orders all private sector staff to work from home, suspends prayers at mosques

On Thursday, the kingdom also extended its existing curfew in the cities of Riyadh, Makkah and Madinah to begin from 3pm. Currently, the curfew runs from 7pm until 6am across all of Saudi Arabia.

Read: Saudi, Kuwait impose evening curfews to limit spread of Covid-19

Saudi Arabia has reported as many as 1,203 cases of the Covid-19 infection, and four fatalities.