The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, has issued a directive to host citizens from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries who are stranded in Saudi airports.
The directive came upon a proposal from the Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Salman, reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
Under the royal directive, all GCC citizens stranded at airports in the Kingdom will receive the utmost hospitality and care until conditions allow for their safe return to their home countries.
This includes facilitating all necessary measures and means to host GCC citizens and ensure their hospitality and comfort among their brothers in their second home.
Furthermore, King Salman instructed all relevant authorities to provide immediate accommodation and take all necessary actions to execute this decision at once.
Against the backdrop of the recent military escalation between the US, Israel and Iran, several countries across the region closed their airspaces, resulting in thousands of flight suspensions and cancellations.
Air travel was paralyzed across countries in the crosshairs of strikes, including Iran, Iraq, Israel, Syria, Kuwait and the UAE, with major carriers from the Middle East, Europe, Asia-Pacific and the US cancelling flights, leaving thousands of passengers stranded.
According to AFP, the key airlines that cancelled services include Emirates, Etihad, Air France, British Airways, Air India, Turkish Airlines, and Lufthansa.
Additionally, Saudia, the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, cancelled several flights due to the ongoing military tensions and the closure of airspace.
