Uzbekistan will organize repatriation flights to return citizens who traveled to Saudi Arabia for Umrah, as authorities temporarily suspend new pilgrimage departures amid regional tensions.
Uzbekistan Airways reports that the country’s aviation authorities have instructed all domestic airlines to halt the transportation of Uzbek pilgrims to Saudi Arabia under the Umrah program until further notice. The restriction also applies to Uzbekistan Airways’ Tashkent–Jeddah–Tashkent route.
Starting March 2, 2026, Uzbekistan Airways will operate special repatriation flights on the Jeddah–Tashkent route to bring home citizens who had previously traveled to Saudi Arabia as part of the Umrah program.
The Muslim Board of Uzbekistan announced that Umrah trips have been temporarily suspended due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East and resulting airspace restrictions across several countries in the region. The March 2 Tashkent–Jeddah flight has been postponed, and the Foreign Ministry has advised citizens to refrain from traveling to Middle Eastern states until further notice.
The decision comes against the backdrop of escalating conflict in the Middle East, which has led to temporary airspace restrictions and the cancellation of several international flights. Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also advised citizens to refrain from traveling to Middle Eastern countries until the situation stabilizes.
