KUWAIT CITY — Kuwait will resume operation of commercial flights from and to Kuwait from Aug. 1 in a phased manner, Kuwait News Agency said on Monday. "The Kuwaiti Cabinet approves a three-phase plan to operate commercial flights from and to Kuwait from Aug.1, with an operating capacity not exceeding 30 percent in line with health requirements," Kuwait's state news agency put out a statement on its official Twitter account. Earlier this month, Kuwait had unveiled the plan developed by its Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for the operation of commercial flights but the date was not announced. In a press statement after his meeting with the DGCA officials on June 8, Minister of State for Services Affairs Mubarak Al-Haris had said that the Kuwait International Airport would operate in the first stage at 30 percent of its capacity, then would rise to 60 percent in the second stage, and would be back to normal level in the third and final stage. Al-Haris, who is also the Minister of State for National Assembly Affairs, had affirmed that the DGCA was keen, when developing the plan, to abide by the Cabinet decisions, taking into account adherence to the preventive and precautionary measures issued by the health authorities. Kuwait suspended all international flights to and from KIA on March 13 as part of the country's efforts to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, with the exception of repatriation flights and air cargo.
