UAE suspends flights from Uganda to Dubai
United Arab Emirates (UAE) has temporarily suspended flights from Uganda to Dubai until further notice.
The move reportedly comes amid concerns over the COVID-19 Omicron variant and rising infection numbers in the UAE. In a statement by Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA), they confirmed this and added that incoming Emirates flights from Dubai are still operational.
UCAA has further advised passengers planning to travel to Dubai to contact their respective airlines for guidance on any changes in the restrictions.
According to Emirates, before this suspension, passengers traveling on direct flights or transiting to Dubai from Uganda and other select countries were subjected to do the following:
- Must present a negative COVID 19 PCR test certificate with a QR code for a test conducted at an approved facility within 48 hours of departure. Validity must be calculated from the time the sample was collected;
- Must present a negative COVID 19 Rapid or Real Time PCR test certificate with a QR code for a test conducted at the departure airport within 06 hours of departure;
- Must undergo COVID 19 PCR test on arrival and must remain in self-quarantine until they receive their test results.
The Dubai-based airline said people originating from select destinations will not be accepted for travel to or through Dubai with effect from December 28 until further notice. Uganda, Ghana, and Ivory Coast were yesterday added to the list of affected countries.
The other countries affected are Angola, Nigeria, Guinea, Kenya, Ethiopia and Tanzania.
Passengers arriving in Dubai from the following countries will be required to take another COVID‑19 PCR test on arrival at Dubai International airport: Afghanistan, Angola, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Cambodia, Chile, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Georgia, Ghana, Guinea, India, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Liberia, Morocco, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Romania, Rwanda, Russia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Somaliland, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
