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Travel plans of several UAE residents to Saudi Arabia have come to a screeching halt following Saudi Arabia's decision to temporarily suspended visas for pilgrims wishing to visit the holy city of Makkah over coronavirus fears.
Several tour operators have said this is usually a busy time for Umrah pilgrimages, especially since the Holy Month of Ramadan is a little over a month away. Reuters also reported Emirates restricted boarding on flights to Saudi Arabia in compliance with the Kingdom's Foreign Affairs Ministry directive.
Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry said it was also suspending visas for tourists visiting from countries where the new virus is a "danger".
The authorities have also suspended the use of the national identity card to travel to and from the Kingdom by Saudi nationals and Gulf citizens, in order for the concerned authorities at the entry points to verify from which countries visitors came before their arrival to the Kingdom, and apply health precautions to deal with those coming from those countries.
However, Saudi Arabia affirmed that these procedures are temporary, and subject to continuous evaluation by the competent authorities. Muzaffar Hashim, the manager at Al Deyafa For Hajj and Umrah said, "We are supporting passengers by issuing cancellations, especially flight tickets. However, there is no clarity on how long this suspension could last."
Tour buses from Sharjah had to turn away from the border
Tour buses to Saudi organised by Al Farooq Hajj and Umrah tour operators in Sharjah told Khaleej Times that buses which departed from Sharjah to Makkah after 5pm on Wednesday, February 27, had to return from the border.
Moahmmed Affan Zakir, an employee at Al Farooq Hajj and Umrah said, "Buses that left at 12pm from Sharjah were able to cross the border."
Many tour operators are working with airlines to refund air ticket fees; however, operators are unsure if the visa charges can be refunded as well. Some passengers who had flights to KSA early Thursday morning were not able to board their flights and had to return from the airport.
Devika Mathav, one such passenger who had a flydubai flight to Riyadh early Thursday morning to attend an event said, "My flight to Riyadh was early this morning. I could not board the flight as it had been only four hours since the temporary suspension was put into place."
'It's a good decision,'
While some residents have expressed their disappointment over the decision, several have welcomed the decision as it keeps the safety and wellbeing of pilgrims in mind.
Salma Amer, a Dubai resident said, "Several pilgrims make the journey ahead of the Holy month Ramadan. My family and I had made bookings for travel next week. However, we don't know yet if we should cancel because what if the suspension is soon removed."
dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com
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