UAE’s national carrier Etihad Airways is prepared for a boost in travel to and from Abu Dhabi following the government’s announcement to remove the quarantine requirement for all vaccinated travelers arriving from abroad.
Fully vaccinated travelers (with vaccines approved by the World Health Organization) can arrive from all international destinations without the need to quarantine. All travelers will require a PCR test within 48 hours of departure, a test on arrival and retesting on select days depending on the country they have travelled from. Unvaccinated travelers, however, should follow the rules according to the destination they are arriving from.
Group CEO Tony Douglas said: “The news is perfectly timed to begin welcoming the world back to Abu Dhabi. We expect a huge surge in demand from tourists and visiting friends and relatives from around the world. This will also give UAE residents greater flexibility and peace of mind when traveling globally.”
“The emirate has delivered one of the world’s best public health programs to protect the population with an extremely high vaccination rate, and smart technologically-driven solutions such as the Al Hosn app to ensure the safety of residents and visitors,” stated Douglas.
“This is a huge step forward as the UAE prepares to host the Expo 2020, the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and many more global events over the coming months,” he added.
According to him, flying with Etihad is supported by the Etihad Wellness programme which has been introduced to help limit the spread of Covid-19.
Etihad was the first airline in the world to fully vaccinate its crew on board. Etihad also requires 100 per cent of its passengers to show a negative PCR test before boarding to protect the in-flight environment, which is now recognized to be one of the best in the world.
“Etihad is currently operating to 65 passenger destinations with one of the world’s youngest and most sustainable fleets,” stated Douglas.
The airline has implemented an extensive sanitization and wellness programme and is practising the highest standards of hygiene at every part of the customer journey.
This includes catering, aircraft and cabin deep-cleaning, check-in, health screening, boarding, inflight, crew interaction, meal service, disembarkation and ground transportation, among others, he noted.
“We look forward to welcoming our guests to Abu Dhabi with Etihad to enjoy this world-class destination – an emirate and capital city we’re so proud to call our home,” he added.
