192,000 Passengers Enter Kuwait In 100 Days

About 192,000 passengers, the majority expatriates entered the country since the start of commercial flight operations in early August until 1 November, (a period of 100 days), Al Rai reported, quoting informed sources at Kuwait International Airport.

As the majority of these expats are from countries on the 34 country ban list where flights are not permitted entry to Kuwait, they traveled via transit through Dubai airport and İstanbul, Turkey.

As the ban against 34 countries continues over fears of the coronavirus spread, and with rising reports of a possibility of a second coronavirus wave of infections, the number of expats eager to return to Kuwait for their jobs, reunite with their families and resume their lives in the country through transit flights has increased considerably.

Dubai is the destination of choice from where expats could quarantine, but due to the shortage of available flights from Dubai to Kuwait, Ethiopia has also emerged as an option for countries where expats can quarantine before traveling to Kuwait on transit flights, joining the list of countries benefiting from the newly emerged “transit business”.

This is especially fortuitous for passengers after prices rose to KD700 dinars for a single passenger package from Dubai to Kuwait.

Transit air traffic to Kuwait has witnessed a significant increase in recent weeks, with Dubai topping the list as the most popular destination, due to the ease of obtaining a tourist visa, residency for two weeks for quarantine, and then booking transit flights to Kuwait.

Ending the country ban list

Regarding the possibility of ending the ban list, the sources confirmed to Al-Rai daily that coordination is progressing with the health authorities in the matter of assessing the situation of the 34 banned countries, and there is vigorous follow-up regarding adding or reducing the number of countries that have recorded large numbers of coronavirus infections recently. The source indicated that the period of quarantine for those coming from abroad remains unchanged.

The sources expressed hope for a breakthrough soon regarding the opening of direct flights, as part of the comprehensive plan presented by Kuwait Airways and Jazeera Airways to the authorities more than two weeks ago, and the Minister of Health, Dr. Basil Al-Sabah, promised to follow it up and take the necessary technical measures to implement the new protocols.

The proposals includes features to decide to allow full activities in the airport to resume normally, reducing home quarantine to a week and the restarting flights with countries on the 34 banned list due to the coronavirus conditions.

The economic sectors, especially the tourism and travel sector in the country, are awaiting an answer to resolve the issues caused by the partial closure of the airport.

Health authorities also recommended that if the proposals are implemented, the travelers’ procedures should be automated and not manual, and added that the medical laboratories, which will conduct the travelers’ swabs, should be able to accept the numbers of arrivals to the country.

The proposals aim to contribute to the gradual and safe resumption of flights to and from Kuwait International Airport, including from prohibited countries after classifying countries into two categories, low risk, and high risk. It will also contribute to revitalizing the local economy and support the aviation sector and other sectors in accordance with health and precautionary controls.

 

SOURCE : TIMES KUWAIT

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