Riyadh – Mubasher: Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) has stopped booking flights to Toronto.

The airline also said it would stop its flights coming from and travelling to Canada, starting Monday, 13 August.

All already-booked tickets to Toronto will be exempt from any fees upon cancellation or reissuance. Similarly, travellers who wish to redeem the value of their tickets will not be subject to any fees, Saudi added in a statement released late Monday.

The Saudi national carrier further noted that it would provide alternative solutions to travellers who booked flights to the North American country.

The announcement to suspend flights to Canada came after the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs recalled its ambassador in Canada Naif bin Bandir Alsudairy late Sunday and gave the Canadian ambassador in Saudi Dennis Horak 24 hours to leave the kingdom after the country criticised the arrest of Saudi civil society activists.

The oil-rich country also decided to freeze all trade and investments with Canada.

The issue arose after Ottawa’s foreign ministry commented on Saudi activist arrests, which the Saudi government described as "interference" in its local matters.