Evacuation flights from Saudi to UK for expats starting 28 March - REGISTER NOW
#16
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 278
Re: Evacuation flights from Saudi to UK for expats starting 28 March - REGISTER
So am about to get on a flight to London but the whole thing was a bit of a shambles (not complaining, I realise these are extraordinary circs. etc).
A call in the late evening to ask did I want to get a 10.40am flight the next morning and if so I had to pay a few SAR (less than 100) by a credit (not debit) card immediately. My valid Saudi cards were all declined. My UK cards were all declined. Eventually my UK debit card was accepted and the ticket was issued. I then had many more calls asking if I still wanted a ticket over the next few hours.
Frantic packing and sorting out the house (no idea when/if coming back!) followed.
It turns out they have had very low demand for this flight so there may not be another (although they suggested there probably would be.
700 people apparently registered but only about 75 are traveling today. I guess if you give people 12 hours’ notice that is what happens...still at least they have arranged it, and for that I am grateful.
Another piece of very important info - I was told they *might* have flights to return residents trapped outside the country back into Saudi but not for at least a couple of weeks. Watch this space!
A call in the late evening to ask did I want to get a 10.40am flight the next morning and if so I had to pay a few SAR (less than 100) by a credit (not debit) card immediately. My valid Saudi cards were all declined. My UK cards were all declined. Eventually my UK debit card was accepted and the ticket was issued. I then had many more calls asking if I still wanted a ticket over the next few hours.
Frantic packing and sorting out the house (no idea when/if coming back!) followed.
It turns out they have had very low demand for this flight so there may not be another (although they suggested there probably would be.
700 people apparently registered but only about 75 are traveling today. I guess if you give people 12 hours’ notice that is what happens...still at least they have arranged it, and for that I am grateful.
Another piece of very important info - I was told they *might* have flights to return residents trapped outside the country back into Saudi but not for at least a couple of weeks. Watch this space!
#17
Banned
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 379
Re: Evacuation flights from Saudi to UK for expats starting 28 March - REGISTER
Hello, I'm working in Saudi now but looking to get back to UK for summer break. I'm on the embassy list but these flights are a bloody ripoff (800 quid one way). Haven't seen price-gouging like that since I was last in a Birmingham cornershop. I saw online that there are apparently reasonably priced return flights on Gulf Air via Bahrain (around 500 quid both ways) starting on May 15th. However, I gave Gulf Air a call just now and they said the Saudis had told them Bahrain flights would resume on the 15th, but they "couldn't guarantee" they would go ahead. Nevertheless, they are the only flights available online right now. I don't suppose anyone has an inside track on this? Are Gulf Air just being massive scummy chancers, or is there a legit reason they're offering flights when nobody else is?
#18
Re: Evacuation flights from Saudi to UK for expats starting 28 March - REGISTER
Hello, I'm working in Saudi now but looking to get back to UK for summer break. I'm on the embassy list but these flights are a bloody ripoff (800 quid one way). Haven't seen price-gouging like that since I was last in a Birmingham cornershop. I saw online that there are apparently reasonably priced return flights on Gulf Air via Bahrain (around 500 quid both ways) starting on May 15th. However, I gave Gulf Air a call just now and they said the Saudis had told them Bahrain flights would resume on the 15th, but they "couldn't guarantee" they would go ahead. Nevertheless, they are the only flights available online right now. I don't suppose anyone has an inside track on this? Are Gulf Air just being massive scummy chancers, or is there a legit reason they're offering flights when nobody else is?
I think that because they're offering unlimited changes for free on all tickets and classes, it makes no difference to them. If you book and there are no flights they'll just keep on pushing your reservation back anyway.
So basically, they're just trying to get your cash, and it might be okay regarding your flight, and if its not they'll just change your dates. They've got nothing to lose.
BTW, gulf is my main airline, fly with them all the time etc.
#19
Banned
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 379
Re: Evacuation flights from Saudi to UK for expats starting 28 March - REGISTER
Yes, that's what I suspect too. Well I'll give them a ring a day or two before, and if it's still on I might give it a whirl.
#20
Re: Evacuation flights from Saudi to UK for expats starting 28 March - REGISTER
BA Riyadh to London re-book is twice the price of the original ticket. So the schemers are writing of the tax and rolling in the profit. SNAFU
#21
Re: Evacuation flights from Saudi to UK for expats starting 28 March - REGISTER
I find it unlikely that there will be flights that soon. I would have thought they'll do things in reverse order. So first the curfew will be lifted, then inter provincial travel will be allowed, then domestic flights, and finally international flights. Who knows though. I might be completely wrong.
#22
Onwards and Upwards!
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 884
Re: Evacuation flights from Saudi to UK for expats starting 28 March - REGISTER
There's also talk of a 14-day quaratine in the UK after you land, and then the question over when you'll be able to fly back into Saudi, and potentially face another 14-day quarantine.
#23
Banned
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 379
Re: Evacuation flights from Saudi to UK for expats starting 28 March - REGISTER
A 14 day quarantine for British citizens landing in our own country? LOL. Ridiculous that they're talking about bringing in new restrictions when it's now clear that this whole thing is overblown. The scare stories of millions dead, societal breakdown etc were all just more fake news. All the emergency hospitals they built and opened on navy ships, conference centres etc haven't been needed, and nurses seem to spend more time making highly choreographed Tiktok videos than treating patients. Ironically there might be a societal breakdown as a result of the reaction (destruction of the economy, disruption of basic supply lines, etc), not the virus.
#24
Onwards and Upwards!
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 884
Re: Evacuation flights from Saudi to UK for expats starting 28 March - REGISTER
I appreciate regular flights are stopped, but does anyone know if these special embassay-arranged flights are being arranged from KSA to London? There's been no email updates for a month or so, but I heard there are weekly flights.
#25
Home and Happy
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
Posts: 93,810
Re: Evacuation flights from Saudi to UK for expats starting 28 March - REGISTER
A 14 day quarantine for British citizens landing in our own country? LOL. Ridiculous that they're talking about bringing in new restrictions when it's now clear that this whole thing is overblown. The scare stories of millions dead, societal breakdown etc were all just more fake news. All the emergency hospitals they built and opened on navy ships, conference centres etc haven't been needed, and nurses seem to spend more time making highly choreographed Tiktok videos than treating patients. Ironically there might be a societal breakdown as a result of the reaction (destruction of the economy, disruption of basic supply lines, etc), not the virus.
#26
Re: Evacuation flights from Saudi to UK for expats starting 28 March - REGISTER
According the Saudi web site there are lots of flight to London but the first available return for booking is 1st October 2020. So potential you can go home for August and September provided you have the leave.