COVID-19 may have put a dampener on celebrations for more than a year now, but this year people are apparently preparing to go abroad and enjoy the upcoming Eid holidays.
According to available data a total of 21,000 people, comprising citizens, their first-degree relatives and the domestic workers accompanying them, are expected to travel during the five-day Eid Al-Fitr holidays.
The numbers also indicate that the number of departing passengers would exceed those arriving by over three times, with more than 16,000 planning to spend Eid abroad, while only around 5,000 are headed back home to celebrate Eid.
A total of 404 incoming and outgoing flights are scheduled to ferry these passengers with the 203 outgoing flights and 201 incoming flights planned to arrive and depart in the days before the Eid holidays.
Kuwait International Airport has set strict limits on passenger numbers allowed to transit the airport each day and accordingly only 1,000 passengers are permitted to arrive each day. Other restrictions on health requirements for those arriving and departing Kuwait will also remain in force, including the ban on foreigners arriving to the country.
Meanwhile, it has been reported that the relevant committees in the Council of Ministers are still studying the opening of some direct flights from countries such as London and Cairo so as to make it more convenient for citizens to reach the country without the hassle of having to transit other airports.
In a related news, the Cabinet during its regular weekly meeting last week announced a travel ban as of 22 May on Kuwaitis, and their first-degree relatives and domestic helpers, if they do not receive anti-coronavirus vaccine set by the Ministry of Health. Expatriates are already banned from entry into the country. The announcement clarified that young people who are currently excluded from the vaccination drive will be exempt from the ban.