Saudi to resume flights to Qatar after restoration of ties

Saudi Arabia will resume flights to Qatar after the historic Al-Ula agreement was signed during the GCC summit last week, shelving the three-year rift between the GCC countries.

Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) will operate four weekly flights from Riyadh to Doha, the first of which will take place on January 11, at 4.40pm local time.

The airline will also operate three weekly flights from Jeddah to Doha.

#SAUDIA resumes operating flights from #Riyadh and #Jeddah to #Doha, with 4 scheduled weekly flights from Riyadh and 3 weekly flights from Jeddah, and the first flight from Riyadh to Doha takes off on Monday Jan 11 at 16:40hrs local time pic.twitter.com/771Pym5Cc7

— المركز الإعلامي | الخطوط السعودية (@svmedia_center) January 9, 2021

In related aviation news, Saudi Arabia, will be set to resume all international flight operations on March 31, in coordination with the General Authority of Civil Aviation and relevant authorities, SAUDIA tweeted.

“السعودية” وبالتنسيق مع الهيئة العامة للطيران المدني والجهات الرسمية ذات العلاقة، سوف تكون على أتم الاستعداد لإعادة تشغيل كافة رحلاتها الدولية في ٣١ مارس. ويمكن لضيوفنا الكرام معرفة المستجدات من خلال https://t.co/HVEa2Kyr0g وحساباتنا الرسمية

الرئيس التنفيذي
الكابتن إبراهيم الكشي pic.twitter.com/zrFOON3XMH

— المركز الإعلامي | الخطوط السعودية (@svmedia_center) January 8, 2021

The UAE has also reopened all land, sea and air ports with Qatar for inbound and outbound movement starting Saturday, January 9.

Read: UAE reopens air, land and sea borders with Qatar

The announcement came after UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash had said last week that trade, travel and transportation ties with Qatar would be resolved within a week.

Read more: Trade, transport between GCC, Qatar could resume within a week – official

Saudi Arabia and three other Arab states agreed to fully restore ties with neighbouring Qatar during the 41st GCC Summit, after a sustained US push for the countries to unite.

Read: Gulf Arab states agree to restore Qatar ties, end three-year rift