balowlyblue

From all countries? Or just UK?

Duck1981

...would not be surprised that this has started without official confirmation. Someone might believe such checks/ tests don't fit the 'Dubai is open' message and would otherwise scare some tourists away.

darch1

It seems that the rules once again changed. End of November they didn't ask me where I was coming from and needed to be re-tested even coming from Qatar. Now it is:

Test on arrival

Passengers arriving in Dubai from the following countries will be required to take another COVID‑19 PCR test on arrival at Dubai International airport:

Afghanistan, Angola, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Cambodia, Chile, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Georgia, Ghana, Guinea, India, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Liberia, Morocco, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Romania, Rwanda, Russia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Somaliland, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

If you take a test at the airport, you must remain in your hotel or residence until you receive the test result.

If the test result is positive, you will be required to undergo isolation and follow the Dubai Health Authority guidelines. You must also download the COVID‑19 – DXB Smart App iOS(Opens an external website in a new tab)Android(Opens an external website in a new tab).

redpalmetto

Arrived on BA105 today along side Russian and Turkish flights and LH. All except LH pax directed to testing. Very efficient though, otf plane at 7.20am, out of airport with bags by 8.30am. Cant imagine shambles LHR would be if they did similar.

t4wine

Hopefully this clears it up a little..

GGL Flyer

Good to hear that they have improved the process after the shambles on day 1.

lost_in_translation

Bizarre that France isn’t yet on the random PCR test list…

HoneymoonFlyer

Thanks for the update. Sounds like they are putting UK on that list unofficially for now then.

Does anyone have any details about the isolation requirement just in case one does test positive? Isolate at hotel, for how long? And isolate until you get the result - what if you arrive on a morning flight and your room isn’t ready yet?

DYKWIA

Maybe just BA flights. EK seems to be still random.

momoflyingguy

In todays corona age, 'hope for the best and expect the worst' is especially true.

ozflier

Are transit pax tested?

suley

A friend of mine tested positive so I can report on this! If you test positive you are to isolate at your hotel or location, if you can’t isolate at your hotel/location then its Gov provided isolation for which you must pay. You then need to then update the app to say you are isolating and it seems to have a check in button on the app. You are then expected to isolate for 10 days in the hotel and if you cannot then you must pay gov for isolation. After 10 days your given a code to exit isolation assuming you have no symptoms. The only thing I would recommend is carry a return to UK lateral flow test assuming the UK still needs testing to return as Dubai does not offer Lateral flow suitable for travel ie with a travel certificate. The reason I say this is you can still test positive on a PCR despite not having a active infection

HoneymoonFlyer

Good advice, thank you. We took the Qured LFTs out with us on our last trip but thought we might do a hotel PCR this time as it might be less hassle. You’ve convinced me to continue with the video-appointment LFT option. Thanks again!

David_Doyle

Pinch of salt required, but when I was in Abu Dhabi a few weeks back someone who works for EK said they'd heard August for BA to return. But who knows.....

suley

I have done hotel PCR on my last trip to Dubai as it worked out around the same cost as a LFT at the time and was not any more hassle to be honest - the Hilton arranged for the swab to be taken from my room and called me to confirm the results and have it printed at reception, it was only once he tested positive that he realised he could still test positive despite not having a active infection, simply a dead covid cells which would cause him to test positive hence UK Gov suggests a lateral flow test. The best thing is Dubai does not seem to have any lateral flow test with a travel certificate and trying asking the FCO what you can do and you get template replies saying the requirements and they cant help. I am hoping next week they remove the requirement for return to UK tests in which case it depends on your airline if you need a test or not. It would certainly make my friends life easier to fly back home