Amid the ongoing efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, UAE airlines have updated their travel requirements for passengers to Dubai. While Dubai is open to all visitors, there are a few entry requirements passengers must follow in line with COVID-19 precautions. In this regard, airlines have recently clarified that passengers from certain countries cannot directly enter the country, even if they are resident visa holders.

In updated requirements, both Emirates and flydubai airlines have stated that travelers who have been in or transited through South Africa or Nigeria in the past 14 days before their journey to Dubai will not be allowed to enter the UAE. However, certain exceptions have been made for UAE nationals who are returning to the country and members of diplomatic missions.

"Transit through the UAE has not been allowed to passengers, who in the past 14 days have been in or transited through South Africa," flydubai said in its statement.

The airline has also stated that the requirement for a PCR test certificate is not applicable to outbound passengers traveling to Nigeria. According to the statement on the flydubai website, the travel protocols came into effect on February 24.

Meanwhile, flydubai has suspended all direct and indirect flights from Nigeria until March 12. Flydubai has also announced a restriction of entry for passengers from Indonesia.

“The UAE is no longer allowing entry to nationals of Indonesia traveling under the Safe Travel Corridor program,” flydubai said on its website.

In addition, Emirates has stated that members of diplomatic missions traveling from Nigeria are required to present a negative COVID 19 PCR test certificate from any authorized laboratory in Nigeria.

Emirates airline has stated that flights to South Africa and Nigeria will remain suspended until March 10, in accordance with the UAE government's directives announcing restriction of passengers' entry from the two countries into the country.

In this regard, Emirates has stated that customers holding tickets with final destinations in South Africa will not be able to travel from the point of origin in the UAE. Furthermore, customers from the Nigerian cities of Abuja and Lagos will not be accepted for travel before and on March 10.

Emirates has also announced that passengers from Sao Paulo in Brazil with the confirmed onward destination through Dubai can travel on EK262 between Sao Paulo and Dubai with effect from March 1. However, all passengers are required to present a negative COVID-19 test certificate with validity no more than 72 hours before departure.

But the airline has clarified that flight services from Sao Paulo with final destination Dubai continue to remain suspended until further notice.