Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:
Yemenia Airways announced on Saturday that it has canceled the rule requiring first-time travelers to Saudi Arabia on work visas to book round-trip tickets. Passengers will now only need a one-way ticket.
Company spokesperson Hatem Al-Shuabi said the decision followed a memo submitted by Yemenia’s Jeddah office and subsequent consultations with the relevant Saudi authorities. These discussions led to changes in the previous procedure, which had resulted in several passengers being sent back from Riyadh and Jeddah airports despite holding one-way tickets and having prior entry records.
Al-Shuabi explained that the abolished rule had forced passengers with new work visas to purchase return tickets to Yemen in order to avoid being denied entry by Saudi airport authorities. Joint talks between the two sides produced a practical solution to the issue.
The spokesperson affirmed that Yemenia complies with all regulations in Yemen and in the countries it operates flights to, noting that requiring round-trip tickets remains standard practice in many countries for holders of tourist or medical visas under applicable immigration and passport laws.
