Video: Saudi airline's 40 hour-long flight to repatriate citizens amid coronavirus crisis

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Jeddah - The flight is making headlines in the region, with a video of the crew's welcome going viral online.

By Spa

Published: Mon 20 Apr 2020, 10:21 AM

Last updated: Mon 20 Apr 2020, 12:41 PM

Saudi Arabia's national carrier undertook a major repatriation operation over the weekend - by flying for 40 plus hours to fly out citizens stranded in the US amid the coronavirus crisis.
The flight is making headlines in the region, with a video of the crew's welcome going viral online.

A Saudi Airlines' Boeing 777 flight landed at King Khalid International Airport here on Friday evening, carrying 187 Saudi nationals, men and women, coming from Los Angeles, USA, in line with exceptional flights run to implement the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's directives to bring back Saudi citizens outside the Kingdom, to home.
Saudi citizens were stranded in the US after flights were suspended due to the novel coronavirus outbreak.

???? 187 ??????? ??????? ??? ???? ????? ???? ?????? ??????? ?????? ?? ??? ?????? ??? ???? ??????? ??????? ????? ????????? ?? ??????? ??? ??? ?????????? ????? ???? ?????? ??? ????? ????? ??????? ?? ?????? ????? ?? ?????? ??? ??? ????? ????????? ???????? ???????.

?#????_???? pic.twitter.com/IsK0AJDQOh
- ???? ??????? ?????? (@ksagaca) April 17, 2020

#WATCH: Pilots and crew receiving a heroes' welcome on their arrival back in #SaudiArabia after the 40-hour #Coronavirus repatriation flight from #LosAngeles

Full story: https://t.co/Y36IBQKdUJ pic.twitter.com/499twiYrQQ
- Arab News (@arabnews) April 18, 2020

Multiple flights were dedicated for this purpose all over the world.
Saudi Airlines, the national carrier, flew 40 hour-long direct flights from Los Angeles to Riyadh via Jeddah - considered among the longest direct flight lines internationally set - covering a distance of about 13,400 km, 17 hours flight (each way).
It is noteworthy that the flight that landed at King Khalid International Airport, in Riyadh, had left Jeddah on early Thursday morning. Before landing, the flight landed in Jeddah - resuming its flight to Riyadh.
Saudi Airlines flight from Jeddah to Los Angeles then to Riyadh, with stopover, in Jeddah, has set a record in distance, timing and number of the crews aboard.
The national carrier is running similar intercontinenta flights to repatriate Saudi nationals wanting to return home.