Kuwait’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation confirmed that the flights would temporarily cease from 4am on January 6 “until further notice”
According to spokesperson Saad Al-Otaibi the decision was taken following recommendations from the Kuwaiti health authorities.
Kuwait has announced it is to suspend flights to and from the UK from Wednesday morning.
In a report carried by the state news agency (KUNA), the Directorate General of Civil Aviation confirmed that flights would temporarily cease from 4am on January 6 “until further notice”.
According to spokesperson Saad Al-Otaibi the decision was taken following recommendations from the Kuwaiti health authorities.
In December, Kuwait suspended all commercial flights and sealed its borders until January 1 over fears about a more-infectious and “out-of-control” coronavirus variant, which was first reported in the UK. The suspension was lifted on Saturday as flights resumed from Kuwait International Airport, with a range of measures introduced to prevent the spread of the virus, including conducting PCR tests for all travellers arriving in Kuwait.
Around 40 nations suspended flights to and from the UK last month after the new “mutant variant” was announced. Iran and Turkey have since extended the ban, although Oman reopened its land, air and sea borders last Tuesday, and Saudi Arabia reopened its borders to international travellers on Sunday, albeit within strict Covid-19 guidelines, while India will resume operations with the UK later this week.
The decision by Saudi Arabia has reaped instant rewards for the kingdom’s aviation industry. Dubai-based online travel marketplace Wego told Arabian Business that flight searches to Saudi saw a 130 percent increase on Sunday, with further demand expected in the coming days.
Mamoun Hmedan, managing director, MENA and India, Wego, said: “This is a great step towards reviving the tourism sector in the GCC region. Saudi Arabia constitutes a significant percentage of the tourism sector in the Middle East.
“As more airlines resume international and domestic flights, we will continue to see an increase in the demand for flight searches. Travelers are feeling more reassured with the vaccine made available in most countries and as airports, hotels and other tour operators are reinstating the confidence in travel.”
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