RIYADH: Saudi Railways Organization (SRO) resumed its trips on May 31, with the first passenger train trip starting from Riyadh to Dammam, through Abqaiq and Hofuf stations carrying 143 passengers on board, and the second trip from Dammam to Riyadh with 118 passengers, said a report. SRO stations began receiving passengers with a series of precautionary measures including measuring the temperature, checking wearing of masks and physical distancing to ensure the safety of passengers inside trains and at stations, said a report. The tickets are being sold to the customers through its website (www.sro.org.sa) and its electronic application (SRO). The…
Author: holidayweekly
MANAMA: Gulf Air, the national carrier of Bahrain, has confirmed resumption of operations out of Pakistan starting from May 31 with direct flights starting from Islamabad International Airport to Bahrain International Airport. Flights from other cities in Pakistan will be added in the coming days, the airline said. In compliance with the Civil Aviation Authority in Pakistan, flights will only operate with passengers out of Pakistan, it said. Due to the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak, Gulf Air temporarily suspended all flights to its seven destinations in Pakistan (Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Faisalabad, Multan, Sialkot and Peshawar) in compliance with the order…
TOKOYO: Japan has lifted a state of emergency and is preparing to begin a phased relaunch of the domestic tourism sector. The nationwide state of emergency has been in place for seven weeks. However, new cases of Covid-19 are steadily declining, with officials hoping to reopen sections of the economy. Tokyo and Hokkaido were among the last prefectures to see the restrictions lift, as a staggered approach was conducted throughout Japan.The first phase will see schools, gyms, libraries and galleries reopen, while restaurants will be allowed to stay open longer. Shinkansen services run by JR will continue to operate to…
WASHINGTON: At two previous companies, new United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby developed a reputation for bluntness, often favoring honest answers over diplomatic ones. Last week speaking at his first public forum since taking over last week from Oscar Munoz, Kirby showed he wouldn’t drop the act just because he now leads a Fortune 100 company. In a 50-minute discussion at the Bernstein 36th Annual Strategic Decisions Conference, Kirby shared his opinions on several issues he’s confronting, including onboard safety, a lack of demand, and mounting debt. United capitalized on U.S. bankruptcy law in 2002, reorganizing ahead of its merger with…
MADINA: The government of Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has reopened the doors of Masjid-e-Nabawi in Madinah on Sunday, May 31, as the Kingdom continued with its phased plan to ease coronavirus restrictions. The people entered Masjid-e-Nabawi or the Prophet’s Mosque for group prayers, with a limit of 40% capacity, starting from Fajr prayers on Sunday. The government has issued precautionary measures including the removal of carpets from the mosque grounds, so that worshipers pray on the marble floors and has asked people to wear face masks, practice social distancing while praying in congregation and to bring their own prayer…
LONDON: A group of leading travel companies have written to the home secretary, Priti Patel, urging an immediate withdrawal of government plans to impose a mandatory 14-day quarantine on anyone arriving in the UK. Arrivals in the UK will be required to undergo the process from June 8th, according to government plans. In the letter, the signatories argue: “The very last thing the travel industry needs is a mandatory quarantine imposed on all arriving passengers which will deter foreign visitors from coming here, deter UK visitors from travelling abroad and, most likely, cause other countries to impose reciprocal quarantine requirements…
ISLAMABAD: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on Friday May 29, announced that Pakistan will resume international flight operations from today, May 30. “As per decision of the federal government, the outbound international flights (scheduled, non-scheduled and charter flights) operation has been allowed with effect from 2359 hours tonight,” said Spokesperson Aviation Division Abdul Sattar Khokhar. In a statement, the spokesperson added that both national and foreign airlines will be allowed to operate from all international airports of Pakistan except Gwadar and Turbat. “SOPs for outbound international flights have already been issued according to which airlines will be required to follow…
MUSCAT: Oman Air, the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, continues to take careful action to ensure the safety of its crew and guests. The airline has flown a number of flights to bring citizens home, along with cargo-only flights to bring food, commodities and medical supplies to the country. Oman Air stands ready to operate additional flights on an as-needed basis as plans are formulated for an orderly return to scheduled service, at a time to be determined based on guidance from national and international authorities. [huge_it_slider id=”551″] In coordination with Ministry of Health, the Public Authority for…
MADRID: Officials in Spain have confirmed the country will drop a two-week quarantine requirement for arrivals from July 1st. [huge_it_slider id=”550″] The decision comes as the country seeks to reopen its tourism sector ahead of the summer season. Spain has seen nearly 27,000 coronavirus related deaths, but there has been a sharp drop off in fatalities and new cases in recent days. In response, foreign minister, Arancha Gonzalez Laya, confirmed entry requirements would be lifted in July. Rather quixotically, Britain will only begin to quarantine arrivals on June 8th. This means Brits taking a trip to Spain will be expected…
UNITED STATES: Hospitality giant Marriott has told employees in the United States that furloughs and reduced work week schedules which began in April will be extended through to October. The decision was taken as the coronavirus pandemic continues to slow demand for travel. The financial impact of the pandemic is more severe than 9/11 and the 2008 financial crisis combined, Marriott said. In response, the company is also rolling out a voluntary redundancy program for on-property and above-property staff in the United States who may choose to leave. Similar voluntary programs are being considered in other parts of the world.…