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COVID-19: UAE announces opening of airports

Abu Dhabi: UAE announced on Wednesday that airports around the country would be allowed to operate limited flights.

However, these flights would include only transit, repatriation of expats or return of residents or citizens.

The announcement was made during Wednesday’s COVID-19 press briefing by Dr Saif Aldhaheri, spokesman for National Authority for Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management.

He added: "The decision to suspend passenger flights to and from the country is still in effect, and only limited flights will be temporarily permitted for the purpose of evacuating residents and visitors who wish to leave the UAE and return to their country."

The airlines allowed to undertake these flights are Emirates, Etihad, fly dubai and Air Arabia. These airlines will announce flights and timings starting Thursday, tomorrow. Authorities added that airline staff have been trained and tested and are fully equipped to handle with the change in restrictions.



"In the coming days, the national carriers will announce the details and procedures related to their activities, and a comprehensive framework and guidelines have been put in place to implement the required measures in all the country’s airports and national carriers, to ensure the safety of the passengers on these flights." said Aldhaheri.

Transit flights would be allowed through Sharjah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, welcomed UAE’s move to open airports and announced that Emirates and fly Dubai would shortly announce the resumption of passenger flights to more cities with connections to, and through, Dubai.