ع
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement welcoming Jordan’s initiative to establish regular commercial flights linking Amman with Sanaa. The ministry characterized the proposal as a humanitarian measure that would help satisfy the requirements of the Yemeni people while simplifying civilian movement. It voiced support for the approval granted by the Yemeni government, which the statement presented as evidence of dedication to procedural improvements for citizens. The announcement further tied the effort to actions that lessen humanitarian difficulties across the country.
According to the ministry, the Houthis should offer a constructive response to the initiative instead of repeating measures that had previously intensified suffering among Yemenis. The statement cautioned against escalatory conduct that might worsen the prevailing humanitarian conditions. Saudi Arabia restated its backing for all proposals that advance security and stability throughout Yemen. These positions center on maintaining the nation’s sovereignty and responding to the wishes of its citizens, the foreign ministry added.
The internationally recognized Yemeni government welcomed the Jordanian initiative and committed to supplying all essential assistance that would allow it to succeed. Officials from that government indicated the plan fully corresponds with earlier attempts to administer Sanaa International Airport through legal and secure channels using Yemenia Airways. They attributed obstructions encountered in those previous endeavors to the Houthis.
Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Royal Jordanian Airlines would commence regular operations on the Amman-Sanaa route following completion of all technical and logistical preparations. The Jordanian statement noted that the project reinforces Saudi Arabia’s work to move the Yemen peace process forward. It also executes prior understandings reached on restoring commercial air connections between the two countries. The development is expected to expand options for Yemenis requiring essential international travel.
Earlier efforts to reopen the corridor provide important context for the latest proposal. The first commercial flight from Sanaa to Amman in nearly six years occurred in May 2022, transporting medical patients, according to Voice of America reporting from the period. Yemenia Airways subsequently expanded its Sanaa-Amman services to three flights weekly under a July 2024 agreement between the Yemeni government and the Houthis, Arab News reported at the time. These steps formed part of repeated attempts to counteract the isolation created by the extended conflict.
The longstanding closure of Sanaa airport has produced documented strains on medical evacuations and the wider economy. A 2017 assessment published on ReliefWeb estimated that 10,000 Yemenis had died from untreated critical conditions after being unable to travel abroad for care. Local civil aviation authorities cited in that report placed associated economic losses above $5 billion across five years. The current Jordanian initiative enters this established pattern of aviation diplomacy and humanitarian considerations.
