Passenger flights from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka to Dubai will be suspended until at least August 7, 2021, Emirates reported.
Similar rules will apply to flights from South Africa and Nigeria. As noted in the airline, passengers who have visited one of the above countries in the last 2 weeks will also not be allowed to board flights to Dubai.
Exceptions will be made for UAE citizens, diplomats and holders of “golden” visas – they will be able to continue their travels subject to a number of conditions, including after presentation of negative results of a PCR test for COVID-19 (its shelf life is 48 hours).
Since July 11, the UAE has stopped accepting passenger flights from Indonesia and Afghanistan. The restrictions affected both Emirati and foreign air carriers. Air passengers who have visited one of these countries in the last 14 days are also not allowed on the territory of the UAE.
Transit and cargo flights operate as usual. Meanwhile, UAE citizens and their closest relatives, diplomats and members of official delegations, businessmen and holders of “gold” and “silver” UAE visas can travel – after obtaining prior permits.
To board, passengers from these categories must provide a negative PCR test for COVID-19 – its shelf life is 48 hours, as well as pass PCR tests at the airport of arrival, on the fourth and eighth days of stay in the UAE. Travelers will be quarantined for 10 days upon arrival.
On July 4, passenger flights between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were suspended in order to prevent the spread of new strains of COVID-19. All passengers arriving in Saudi Arabia after the entry into force of the ban are placed in mandatory quarantine.
Earlier, the General Directorate of Civil Aviation of the UAE also extended the ban on receiving passenger flights from a number of countries of the world until July 21, 2021. The list, in particular, includes Liberia, Namibia, Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Zambia, Vietnam. The ban does not apply to business aviation and cargo flights.