Saudi Arabia to levy 10-riyal fee on domestic flights

Riyadh: Saudi civil aviation authorities will levy a 10-riyal charge on each passenger on domestic flights starting early next year, Saudi newspaper Okaz reported Sunday.

The fee, which will take effect as of January 10, is collected in return for using airport facilities and will be channelled into funding projects to develop its infrastructures and improve the services, the paper added, citing unnamed sources.

The charge will be added to the price of the ticket and will be revised every three years, according to the report.

“There will be direct coordination between the airlines operating at the airports and the fiscal departments of these airports on relevant financial dues,” the paper quoted one source as saying.

However, four categories of people will be exempted from the charge, namely: babies, transit passengers who remain inside the aircraft, pilots and air service crews.

Saudi airports accommodated around 2.6 million passengers aboard 29,935 domestic flights, according to figures from the kingdom’s General Authority of Civil Aviation.

In September, Saudi Arabia launched a new tourist visa system aimed at attracting foreign holidaymakers to the country as part of a plan to diversify its economy.

The instant tourist visa is obtained online or upon arrival at the Saudi airports.