PIA issues new advisory for inbound travellers from KSA

Makes Covid tests mandatory; condition to come into effect from May 5

ISLAMABAD:

The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) issued on Sunday a fresh travel advisory for travelers from Saudi Arabia, making it mandatory for the passengers to undergo the Covid-19 test prior to their journey.

According to Express News, those traveling from the kingdom to Pakistan after May 5 will be required to get tested for Covid.

The communique added that children below the age of 12 years and travelers with disabilities will be exempted from the condition.

The PIA officials said that those who test positive for Covid will not be allowed to travel via the national flag carrier. They also said that the test results should not be more than 72-hours old.

On April 24, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) imposed a travel ban on various countries including Pakistan and India amid the growing number of Covid-19 cases.

Read Pakistan to reduce inbound international flights by 80%

The kingdom also implemented the ban on the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Indonesia whereas the Saudi Civil Aviation Authority General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) issued a notification imposing a temporary travel ban on European Union (EU) countries and Switzerland.

Saudi residents were given 72 hours to return to KSA.

On April 23, Canada's government said it would temporarily bar passenger flights from India and Pakistan for 30 days as part of stricter measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

The center-left Liberal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau acted after prominent right-leaning politicians complained Ottawa had not done enough to combat the third wave of infections ripping through Canada.