Yemenia Airways issued a heartfelt apology on Wednesday, June 26th, 2024, to thousands of Yemeni pilgrims stranded in Saudi Arabia after the Houthi militia seized four of the airline's planes in Sana'a International Airport.

The airline's statement, obtained by Barran Press, condemned the Houthi's actions, which they described as a threat to the safety of aviation in Yemen and a significant obstacle to the operation of flights within and outside the country.

"We were shocked yesterday evening when the Houthi militia confiscated three of our Airbus 320 planes, bringing the total number of seized planes to four, including the larger Airbus 330 that has been held for over a month," the statement read.

The seized planes were carrying hundreds of pilgrims returning from the holy pilgrimage after completing their Hajj rituals. The planes had arrived from King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, as part of a direct Jeddah-Sana'a route launched by Yemenia on June 20th.

Yemenia stated that the seizure of their planes would significantly impact their operations and result in substantial financial losses. The airline explained that approximately 8,400 pilgrims from Sana'a and Houthi-controlled areas needed to be transported from Jeddah to Sana'a within a week.

To meet this demand, Yemenia, in coordination with the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation, had been operating multiple flights daily from Jeddah to Sana'a. However, the seizure of their planes has left thousands of pilgrims stranded in Saudi Arabia, awaiting their return to Sana'a and other Yemeni airports.

Yemenia described the Houthi's actions as "irresponsible," particularly given the airline's ongoing struggles with the militia, including the freezing of their accounts for over a year. Despite these challenges, Yemenia has continued to operate flights to serve all Yemeni citizens, operating over 100 flights to and from the holy lands, covering all operational expenses from sources outside their Sana'a bank accounts.

The airline considers the Houthi's seizure of their planes a violation of international aviation laws and norms, highlighting that this is the first time civilian aircraft have been seized while operating professionally.

Yemenia has appealed to the international community, international air transport organizations, the UN Special Envoy to Yemen, and all relevant authorities to intervene urgently to stop these abuses against the airline.