Saudi’s GACA denies reports that kingdom plans to resume international flights in October

Saudi Arabia’s aviation authority has dismissed reports that claimed the kingdom will resume international flights in October.

A circular attributed to a General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) official published on social media stated that all international flights to and from the kingdom will remain suspended until October. It stated the decision was subject to Covid-19 cases reducing to “three digits”.

However, GACA’s official spokesman Ibrahim bin Abdullah Alrwosa told Arab News that the circular was “completely baseless and fabricated”.

Saudi Arabia suspended all international flights from March 15 and all domestic flights from March 21 as part of the Covid-19 precautionary measures.

While domestic flights resumed from May 31, there has been no official word on the restarting of international flights.

Read: Domestic flights to resume in Saudi Arabia from May 31

More than 750 thousand passengers through the KSA airports since the resumption of domestic flights. pic.twitter.com/dSde6V4sJZ

— هيئة الطيران المدني (@ksagaca) July 5, 2020

However, repatriation flights have been operated for stranded expatriates wanting to return home.

اليوم.. مغادرة عدد من الرحلات الجوية للوافدين العائدين لبلدانهم تنفيذاً لمبادرة #عودة عبر مطار الملك عبدالعزيز الدولي، بالتنسيق مع الجهات ذات العلاقة، حيث تم تطبيق كافة الإجراءات الاحترازية. pic.twitter.com/8Z3kxMMnN0

— مطار الملك عبدالعزيز الدولي (@KAIAirport) July 12, 2020