The Covid-19 test price will not be included in the ticket for all flights from Abu Dhabi. This has been confirmed by one airline functioning in the UAE. The Etihad Airways has built the cost of a PCR test into the price of airfares for UAE customers departing from Abu Dhabi.

However, it is worth noting that all passengers are suppose to be tested negative to be able to travel on the airlines, in the first place. This inclusion of the test price has been put into effect from October 01 and will be valid till December 31, 2020.

Tests are required to be taken up to 96 hours ahead of a flight's departure time and can be booked online. First and Business Class passengers have the option to take the test from their own homes as well.

This facility has not been extended to those travelling from Abu Dhabi to China. For that route, it has been advised that passengers must organise a PCR test at a Seha facility, with the test taken within 48 hours of departure.

The national airline has promised to provide the popular polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test at Life Medical Diagnostic Centres around the country. The cost of the test would range somewhere between Dh180-Dh370. According to the Chief Executive Hosam Fouad for the Life Medical Diagnostic Centre, their network can accommodate 40,000 tests a day.

As the national airlines, Etihad has been trying to provide a seamless and safe travelling experience for all its customers, irrespective of whichever nationality they belong to. With an inbuilt cost and mandatory test to be taken, there is elimination of last minute delays and disappointments at the airport.

Etihad earlier partnered with Mediclinic Middle East and Seha to offer passengers the option to take PCR tests from home; these can still be used, but do cost a separate fee.