Abu Dhabi
The United Arab Emirates has relaxed flight rules from some restricted countries. With this, many Indian expatriates are thinking of going home for the holidays. Many people have been away from their homes for months due to the long-standing restrictions due to Corona. Indians like Vinod Thangoor from Bangalore haven’t gone home for two years and are now anxious to meet their parents.
An airline official said that despite Onam festival being around the corner, the number of passengers is getting less. Some people are scared of the third wave in India. It is expected that the number of flight bookings will increase in the coming time.
Flights will start from these cities
On the other hand, flights to UAE from some cities of India have resumed from 7 August. UAE’s Etihad Airways has said that flights to and from some Indian cities to Abu Dhabi will resume operations from August 7. The airline has said on its website that between August 7 and 9, the airline will start services from Chennai, Kochi, Bengaluru, Trivandrum and New Delhi. After this, flights will be started from Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Mumbai for transit in India from August 10.
Know what are the rules
Flights will also be operated from Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad in Pakistan, Dhaka in Bangladesh and Colombo in Sri Lanka. All passengers will have to be in quarantine for 10 days upon arrival in Abu Dhabi. During this it will be mandatory for the passengers to wear a tracking wristband. The airline said on its website that all passengers will also have to undergo a PCR test on the fourth and eighth days. It is mandatory to get approval from the Federal Authority of Identity and Citizenship (ICA) to travel.
Both doses of vaccine are necessary
Passengers must have a negative PCR test result not exceeding 48 hours prior to the flight. This test should be done from an authorized lab in the main city and the result should have a QR code for verification. A rapid Kovid-19 test will also have to be done four hours before boarding the flight. Travelers returning to the UAE must have valid residency proof and proof of having received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine within the UAE at least 14 days prior to travel.
Who will get the discount
Medical workers, UAE teachers, students, patients undergoing treatment in the UAE, residents with special circumstances, and employees working for federal or local government agencies will be exempted from getting vaccinated. These exemptions are different from earlier exemptions available to UAE citizens, diplomatic missions, official delegations and holders of golden visas.
