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Hundreds of Saudis stuck in Jakarta as kingdom suspends international flights due to COVID-19
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Saudi Ambassador to Indonesia Esam Abid Althagafi talks to Saudi nationals at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Sunday. Their flight to their homeland with Saudia Airlines was canceled on Sunday after Saudi Arabia suspended international flights to prevent COVID-19 from spreading further. (Courtesy of/Saudi Embassy in Jakarta/-)
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t least 826 passengers of Saudia Airlines packed Soekarno-Hatta International Airport’s Terminal 3 on Sunday after Saudi Arabia suspended all flights into the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The passengers intended to board two Saudia Airlines flights – flights SV825 and SV819 – to return to the kingdom and had waited in the terminal since noon.
“We secured Terminal 3’s check-in counters for Saudia Airlines passengers boarding through Gate 2,” Soekarno-Hatta aviation security head Alexander Yurikho said as quoted by tempo.co on Sunday.
He said the passengers proceeded to the check-in counters even though they were informed via text message about the cancellation in advance. The Saudi Embassy in Jakarta had announced that the Saudi government suspended international flights.
A video showing Saudi Ambassador to Indonesia Esam Abid Althagafi calming the stranded passengers circulated on Twitter on Sunday as the mission in Jakarta was trying to find a solution.
السعودية عظيمة ووفيّة حتى في أقصى بقاع الأرض، خيرها على أبناءها لا ينقطع وفي أصعب الظروف، سفير #السعودية في إندونيسيا عصام الثقفي، يخدم أبناء بلده بتوجيهات قادته والرضى يحيط بهم رغم ظروف #كورونا، الله يرجعكم سالمين 🇸🇦 pic.twitter.com/vxldL7qLSw
— لبيب Labeeb (@LabeebHub) March 15, 2020
Saudi’s state news agency, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), reported on Sunday that the Saudi Embassy in Jakarta said it had cooperated with the airlines to find a speedy solution to the canceled flights with the ultimate goal to contain the situation and stand by its citizens until they return to their homeland.
It pointed out that transportation was secured for all citizens stranded at Soekarno-Hatta airport to hotels intended for their residence and that they would be provided all facilities until their return.
The SPA reported Saturday on the Saudi government’s decision to suspend all international flights for two weeks starting Sunday to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, citing an official source at the country’s interior ministry.
The period will be considered an exceptional official holiday for citizens and residents who are unable to return due to the suspension of flights or if they face quarantine after their return to the kingdom, SPA cited the official as saying.
Saudi Arabia has reported 86 confirmed cases of COVID-19, while Indonesia has reported 134 cases. (asp)
