From August 1 all passengers travelling to and from Abu Dhabi and Dubai, or transiting via the UAE hubs, are required to show a negative Covid-19 test result.
This is in accordance with the UAE government’s latest directive requiring a compulsory Covid-19 PCR test for all inbound passengers.
Children under the age of 12 and people with mild to severe disabilities are currently exempted from this requirement.
Updating travellers about the new regulation, Etihad said:
“It will be mandatory to have a Covid-19 PCR test before you fly with Etihad from any worldwide airport outside of Abu Dhabi. Your test must be carried out at an approved medical facility 96 hours before your arrival time in Abu Dhabi.
“You will also need a PCR test if you are travelling from Abu Dhabi to any European Union country and the UK. Your test must be carried out at an approved medical facility in the UAE within 96 hours of your flight.”
Passengers will only be permitted to fly with the airline if they have a negative Covid-19 certificate issued by an approved clinic listed on etihad.com/destinationguide.
All inbound passengers may also note that they might have to undergo another Covid-19 test at Abu Dhabi International Airport, upon arrival.
To help facilitate the testing process, Etihad has partnered with Mediclinic Middle East to offer a testing facility for travellers, for a fee, at their home or at Mediclinic centres in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and Dubai prior to their departure.
Meanwhile Emirates has posted details of the new requirements on its website here. Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ chief operating officer said:
“Dubai remains a highly attractive destination to international visitors. In the three weeks since Dubai re-opened for tourists, we saw more than 1.6 million searches for destination Dubai on emirates.com, and an increase in bookings with travellers coming from more than 30 countries including France, Germany, Malaysia, UK, and US.
“Emirates is working with Dubai Tourism and our other partners on even more attractive travel offers and packages, and we look forward to announcing these offers soon.”
“We know people want to travel, and Emirates is expanding its network to provide more choice to its customers. We have also implemented various measures to assure our customers of a smooth and safe travel experience.
“We encourage travellers to consider Dubai as their destination of choice for enjoying their summer break, and to take advantage of the great offers and programmes during the Dubai Summer Surprises festival currently underway.
“Whether visiting Dubai or another Emirates destination, our customers can fly without the worry of procuring Covid-19 insurance which is required by many countries, as Emirates is the first airline to offer free global cover for Covid-19 related expenses if they should unfortunately be tested positive while they are travelling and away from home.”
