The head of the Saudi Civil Aviation Authority told Al Arabiya TV on Tuesday that the kingdom had restored 45% of pre-COVID passenger traffic estimated in 2019 at around 100 million passengers.

The Saudi-owned TV channel quoted Abdulaziz Al-Duailej, head of the General Authority of Civil Aviation, as saying he expected the number to increase to 50% by the end of this year.

(Reporting by Lilian Wagdy; Editing by Edmund Blair)