By Muhammad Rafiq
ABU DHABI: Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, 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 travellers arriving from abroad.
Fully vaccinated travellers (with vaccines approved by the World Health Organization) can arrive from all international destinations without the need to quarantine. All travellers 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 travellers, however, should follow the rules according to the destination they are arriving from.
Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, Etihad, commented: “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 travelling globally.
“The emirate has delivered one of the world’s best public health programmes 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.
“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.
“Etihad is currently operating to 65 passenger destinations with one of the world’s youngest and most sustainable fleets. 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.”
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% of its passengers to show a negative PCR test before boarding to protect the inflight environment, which is now recognised to be one of the best in the world.
The airline has implemented an extensive sanitisation 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.
More information on the stringent measures being taken by Etihad to provide a healthy and hygienic travel experience is available at etihad.com/wellness. As a precautionary measure, guests travelling on Etihad Airways flights are required to wear a face mask throughout their journey.
Those wishing to book with Etihad are advised to visit etihad.com to view their options and to remain informed of the appropriate entry requirements for Abu Dhabi. Flights are also available for booking through the mobile app, by calling the Etihad contact centre on +971 600 555 666 (UAE), or through a local or online travel agency.
