• One of the flights will be used to repatriate Umrah pilgrims
• The directive was in agreement with the Saudi authorities

DUBAI: UAE national airline Etihad Airways has temporarily suspended all flights between Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia, the company announced Monday in a statement.

Etihad said the suspension was based on a request by the Saudi General Authority for Civil Aviation to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Earlier on the same day, Saudi authorities announced they were suspending travel for Saudi citizens and foreign residents to the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Iraq, Italy and South Korea.

Etihad Airways operate up to 12 flights per day between Abu Dhabi and the Kingdom. It has already cancelled seven flights on Monday.

Four other flights were en-route to Saudi Arabia when the directive was released.

The planes to Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam were permitted to land and Saudi nationals were allowed to disembark.

But all other passengers had to remain on the plane and return to Abu Dhabi.

A fourth plane, traveling to Medina, will repatriate Umrah visitors.