‘Book quarantine hotels through airline website’

Country Manager of airline operator Saudia in Bangladesh, Tarik A Alowaidi, yesterday asked all Saudia Arabia -bound Bangladeshi workers to book hotels for quarantine stays through the airline's holiday website.

Talking to The Daily Star over telephone, he urged all Saudi-bound passengers not to gather in front of the airline's office in the capital during the ongoing second wave of Covid-19 to book hotel stays.

He also said if any Bangladeshi passenger misses flight or needs to change flight date on different grounds, Saudia will issue fresh ticket and will accommodate them in other flights without taking any charge.

He requested all Saudi-bound Bangladeshis to confirm their quarantine hotel a minimum of 72 hours before their flight departure through the Saudia Holidays website https://holidaysbysaudia.com

For hotel booking confirmation, Alowaidi requested Saudi-bound passengers to contact their respective employer/Kaphil/company/travel agency, or go to the website.

He said quarantine package reservation must be done according to the first point of entry.

"Without booking through Saudia Holidays website, no hotel confirmation will be accepted," he also said.

Upon confirming their ticket and quarantine hotel package, passengers will have to complete their PCR test within 72hr of their flight departure, he said.

The country manager of Saudia said there is no need for quarantine package for non-residents and first-time visitors who have completed 14 days since receiving all doses of the vaccination while providing a certificate or proof in accordance with the requirements set by the Ministry of Health.

Residence/Iqama holder whose status shows (immune) in (Tawaklna) application by completing their vaccinations in the KSA will also need no quarantine package, he added.