As COVID-19 restrictions are easing, airlines around the world are slowly resuming their activities.
Middle East Airlines (MEA) announced that it is resuming flights to several international airports this month.
The first resuming MEA flights are scheduled between Beirut and Saudi Arabia.
As of today, you will be able to travel between Beirut and the Saudi cities, specifically Jeddah and Riyadh.
Travelling to Saudi Arabia
All travelers leaving to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia must do a PCR exam in reliable laboratories within 48 hours before the date of arrival in the Kingdom.
All departing travelers must fill out and sign a health commitment form and give it to the airport health control centers when you arrive in Saudi Arabia.
Traveling to Lebanon
When flying to Lebanon (as a final destination) or returning back from a trip, you must show a PCR negative result from a certified lab at the time of check-in.
The test result can’t exceed 96 hours before departure. You must also do the PCR test when arriving at Beirut airport. Middle East Airlines covers the cost of this.
All passengers with Lebanon as a final destination arriving from Iraq and all African countries (except South Africa, Central African Republic, Ghana, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco), are required to:
- Have a prepaid hotel reservation at one of the hotels approved by the Ministry of Tourism in Lebanon (Lancaster Hotels, Golden Tulip Hotel, and Radisson Blu Martinez Hotel)
- Must stay for 48 hours until they receive their PCR test results
- Then they have to do a second PCR test
- Quarantine at home for 72 hours until they test result come out
Hotel reservations are not required if you’re traveling from countries not listed above. However, you must self-isolate until you receive the PCR test result from the Ministry of Public Health.
Children under the age of 12 don’t have to take a PCR test. In addition, people who left Lebanon and returned within one week are exempted from taking the PCR test at the departing location.
All passengers travelling to Lebanon must fill a health declaration form online before departure.
Editor’s note: This information is accurate at the time of writing this article. However, this is a rapidly evolving issue and we recommend checking with the airlines and health ministries for the most updated information
