Over 300 travel agencies approved by Saudi Airlines can book hotels in KSA

From now on, more than 300 local travel agencies approved by Saudia, also known as Saudi Arabian Airlines, will be able to book hotels in the Kingdom using the airlines' financial and software channels.

The new move is expected to ease complexities regarding Bangladeshi migrant workers' institutional quarantine in Saudi Arabia, expatriates' welfare ministry said in a press release today.

Besides, Saudia authorities have agreed to reissue tickets without additional fee for those who missed their flights due to hotel booking related complexities since May 20, said the release.

Apart from Saudi Arabia Airlines' office in Dhaka, expatriates will be able to change date of their tickets or get reissued from the travel agencies, it added.

It further said, expatriates who will purchase up-down ticket of Saudi Arabian Airlines in Saudi Arabia will be able to reconfirm ticket or change its date at the offices of approved local travel agencies in different cities of Bangladesh including Dhaka, Sylhet and Chattogram.

However, a fee of maximum Tk 2,000 for hotel booking and another fee of maximum Tk 500 for ticket reissuance has been set separately. The fees have to be paid at the travel agencies.

To contain coronavirus spread, Saudi authorities issued a travel advisory effective from May 20 for passengers traveling to the Kingdom from different non-restricted countries including Bangladesh.

As per the advisory, passengers who did not complete both doses of Covid-19 vaccine in their home countries or did not take one dose of the vaccine while staying in Saudi Arabia have to undergo mandatory institutional quarantine there.