JEDDAH – Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) will be ready to operate international flights fully by May 17, 2021 (Shawwal 5, 1442H), Saudia’s Assistant Director General for Communications Khaled Bin Abdulqader Tash disclosed to Okaz /Saudi Gazette. It was announced earlier by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) that international flights could resume fully by May 17, 2021. In an answer to a question by Okaz on a tweet published by Saudia on its Twitter account, the Saudia official said that this indicates that the lifting of all restrictions on international travel will specifically be on Shawwal 5. In a tweet on its Twitter account, Saudia said: “Have you packed your bags?” accompanied with pictures of suitcases, in a clear indication that the date is approaching for allowing Saudis to travel abroad without any restrictions, after a suspension of over a whole year, since the spread of the coronavirus pandemic globally in March 2020. GACA had amended the date for allowing Saudi citizens to travel abroad, for fully lifting the suspension of flights for international airlines and opening the Kingdom’s airports, to May 17, 2021 corresponding to Shawwal 5, 1442H.