Those wishing to return to the UK from the UAE will be able to do it with ease after June 08. The UK government will start allowing flights from red lists countries for British and Irish nationals, or those with residence rights in the UK. There were a total 33 countries that were included in the red list. This comprised UAE and South Africa as well. However, those returning will need to quarantine themselves in hotel rooms for a period of 10 days on their own expense.

The hotel has to be a government approved one. The person travelling for example from the UAE, must have two negative Covid-19 tests before being allowed to leave regardless of whether they have been vaccinated against the disease or not.

Earlier on, the UK government had banned direct flights from red list countries but now flights are being allowed to land only on two airports- Heathrow Airport and Birmingham Airport. Earlier on, anyone having travelled from any of the 33 countries on the red list could not enter UK. They were using alternate country routes to enter back into the UK.

Etihad is the only airline that has agreed to fly into UK again. Certain rules are to be kept in mind if you are travelling from the UAE or any of the other 32 nations that were earlier on the red list.

According to a formal statement made by the airline “All passengers will be required to stay in a managed quarantine hotel, take a Covid-19 PCR test on or before day 2 and on or after day 8 of quarantining, and follow the national restrictions. Passengers will also be required to book a hotel quarantine stay before their arrival into Heathrow. Flights departing the UK remain unaffected and continue to operate as scheduled from Terminal 2. Passengers arriving in Abu Dhabi can enjoy quarantine-free travel as the UK is on Abu Dhabi’s green list.”

If you want to avoid the 11 nights quarantine period arriving into the UK, the best option is to divert your flight through a green country and then enter the UK. The following countries are on the green list- Australia, Brunei, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Iceland, Israel, New Zealand, Singapore, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, and St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha.

All passengers from the UAE must have a PCR test on the day of arrival, and a second one on day five for vaccinated people, and day 10 for the unvaccinated. Travellers who have not been vaccinated must isolate for 10 days. Covid-19 testing in the UK is expensive. So it is better to get it done before you travel.