JEDDAH – Saudi Arabia has decided to grant overflight access to all aircarriers, including from Israel, ahead of the first visit of US PresidentJoe Biden to the kingdom.
The development was announced by Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation(GACA), stating that it has opened its airspace to all carriers that meetits requirements for overflights.
It said that the decision has been taken in line with internationalconventions that discourage discrimination between civil aircraft.
The latest move will “complement the efforts aimed at consolidating thekingdom’s position as a global hub connecting three continents and toenhance international air connectivity,” GACA statement read.
The decision of opening Saudi airspace will cut cost and flight timesbetween Israel and other countries.
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US President Joe Biden, who is on his Middle East tour, welcomed thedecision as an “important moment”.
“Today, I will be the first president of the United States to fly fromIsrael to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. As we mark this important moment, SaudiArabia’s decision can help build momentum toward Israel’s furtherintegration into the region, including with Saudi Arabia,” Biden said in astatement.
It is recalled that Saudi Arabia does not recognise Israel due to Palestineissue. However, it allowed Israel-United Arab Emirates flights to use itsairspace in 2020 despite having no official ties.
