UAE suspend flights to, from Saudi Arabia over mutated covid strain

Emirati airlines yesterday suspended flights to and from Saudi Arabia following Riyadh’s decision to suspend all international commercial flights for a week over a new, more infectious COVID-19 strain.

A spokesman for Emirates Airline said in an emailed statement that all flights to and from the kingdom will be suspended until Sunday, while Etihad Airways said the carrier would suspend all commercial flights between Abu Dhabi and all destinations in Saudi Arabia with immediate effect.

Air Arabia also announced in a statement the suspension of all flights to and from Saudi Arabia until further notice.

On Sunday evening, Saudi Arabia announced that it would shut its borders in compliance with the Ministry of Health’s recommendation.

Last week, Britain announced the discovery of a new, more infectious COVID-19 strain, prompting the European Union countries to suspend travel to and from the kingdom, more than 50 countries have banned travel to the UK so far. The government has also placed its capital and surrounding areas under lockdown banning travel in and out of the region.

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