Abu Dhabi has further eased travel requirements for tourists flying to the UAE with travellers no longer required to take a PCR test when landing at Abu Dhabi International Airport.
Etihad Airways announced the change in the on-arrival testing policy in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
“Following the latest UAE government directives, guests will not need to take a PCR test on arrival in Abu Dhabi. Guests who choose to take a PCR test on arrival can take advantage of the arrivals testing facility at Abu Dhabi International Airport at their own expense for Dh40 ($11) per test,” confirmed a spokesperson for Etihad.
“Etihad continues to follow UAE and international government, regulatory and health authority directives, and is playing its part in helping to limit the spread of Covid-19.”
No further follow-up PCR tests are required for travellers arriving in the capital. More information on the regulations is available on etihad.com/destinationguide.
The news comes a little more than a week after the UAE relaxed its Covid-19 rules for travellers, dropping pre-departure tests for vaccinated travellers.
Free on-arrival PCR tests had continued to be issued to all arriving passengers in Abu Dhabi after the relaxation of Covid-19 entry rules last week, but the policy has now changed.
“We warmly welcome this move by the UAE authorities to make travelling to and from Abu Dhabi and the UAE even easier, while maintaining a safe environment. Abu Dhabi has built a reputation for delivering a robust response to the pandemic with high vaccination rates and a comprehensive approach to health and safety measures,” said Terry Daly, executive director guest experience, Brand and Marketing, Etihad Airways.
On February 26, Etihad Airways also confirmed that travellers flying with the airline no longer needed a negative PCR test result to board flights, unless it is a requirement of their final destination.
This was a major update to the airline’s previous Covid-19 policy, which required all travellers to have a negative test result before boarding Etihad flights to any destination.
Unvaccinated travellers flying to the UAE must continue to present a negative PCR test result taken within 48 hours of their departure, or display a certificate of Covid-19 recovery dated with 30 days of their flight. Children under 16 are exempt from these requirements.