Emirates to require negative COVID-19 test for transit passengers

Jul 28, 2020

The Emirates airline is requiring certain passengers destined for and connecting in Dubai to have test negative for COVID-19 before they fly.

As of Aug. 1, travelers flying into Dubai from a list of points of origin must present a negative COVID-19 test before they board their flight. The list includes flyers coming from the United States, Russia, Iran, Sudan, Egypt and other countries. The test must be taken within 96 hours of the flight, the airline announced in a notice. 

The rule also applies to passengers transiting in Dubai to onward destinations, according to an email Emirates sent to passengers that was seen by Al-Monitor. 

The restrictions comes as the Gulf carrier tries to rebuild its flight network safely amid the continued coronavirus pandemic. 

In June, the United Arab Emirates mandated that people entering the country show a negative test before boarding. The rule now also applies to people transiting in Dubai on Emirates flights — not just those actually entering the United Arab Emirates. 

Emirates continues to add destinations back to its network after resuming regularly scheduled passenger flights in May. On Aug. 10, Emirates will start flights to Baghdad and Basra in Iraq again, bringing its total list of destinations to 67, the airline said in a press release yesterday. 

Emirates’ hub Dubai is also trying to boost tourism to the city. This month, Dubai’s government announced that tourists who test negative for COVID-19 will be allowed in.