Emirates airline won't fly Umrah pilgrims, some tourists to Saudi due to coronavirus outbreak

DUBAI: Emirates airline said it would no longer carry to Saudi Arabia passengers with Umrah pilgrimage visas or tourists from nearly two dozen countries until further notice, in compliance with a Saudi government directive to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

Holders of Saudi tourist visas travelling from China, Japan, Italy, Iran, India, Pakistan and a number of other countries will be barred from boarding Emirates flights with Saudi Arabia as the final destination, the airline said on its website.

The ban takes effect on Thursday.

(Reporting by Saeed Azhar; writing by Yousef Saba Editing by Gareth Jones) ((Yousef.Saba@thomsonreuters.com; +971562166204))