Saturday, October 3, 2020
UAE’s flag carrier Etihad Airways has decided to offer PCR tests included in all air tickets booked by customers in the UAE for flights departing from Abu Dhabi International Airport, with the exception of services to China, starting October 1 until December 31, 2020. The airline will be collaborating with Life Medical Diagnostic Center (Life Dx) to offer convenient testing between 48 to 96 hours prior to departure, at its network of collection facilities in the UAE. Travellers flying First or Business class will also have the option of selecting tests at their home. They can also book the quick and easy process directly with the company.
All travellers leaving the UAE from Abu Dhabi, requires a negative COVID-19 PCR within 96 hours prior to departure and those travelling to Morocco will additionally require an lg antibody test. Meanwhile, travellers flying to China from Abu Dhabi are subject to specific testing protocols and can only use SEHA testing facilities. It is mandatory for all passengers to show a negative COVID-19 PCR test result from a government approved testing facility within 48 hours prior to departure, for approval to board.
Dr. Nadia Bastaki, Vice President Medical Services, Etihad Aviation Group said in a statement that the latest move can be considered as a significant development that will allowsEtihad to provide greater ease of travel for those departing from Abu Dhabi, by removing as much inconvenience from the PCR testing process as possible. She shared that the action follows on perfectly from the recent introduction of complimentary COVID-19 insurance cover on all Etihad Airways tickets.
She added that the airline is confident that the partnership will provide Etihad, and most importantly the guests, Life Dx’s superior testing technologies so they can travel from the capital with greater peace of mind. She stated that this is one further step in the efforts being made by the carrier to provide a professional, secure and protected travel experience at every stage of passenger journey.
Hosam Fouad, Founder and CEO, Life Medical Diagnostic Center, added that the company is delighted to announce the strategic partnership with Etihad Airways to manage the passengers’ COVID-19 PCR testing requirements. He shared that the main concept of the solution is to ramp-up the capacity of Life Dx’s central lab for up to 40,000 tests a day through fully automated state-of-the-art robotic systems and to create a wide network of sample collection centres through partnering with selected healthcare providers across the UAE. He mentioned that passengers can now book their appointments online easily at their most convenient location and time before their flight.
Etihad Airways will also collaborate with SEHA and Mediclinic Middle East for all passengers who wish to book their tests separately, and will offer departing travellers the option of convenient PCR testing, for a fee, at their home, or at selected facilities in the UAE prior to their travel. The carrier has also advised all travellers to acquire detailed information on country-specific PCR testing requirements, lists of applicable medical testing facilities, and entry regulations from the airline’s online destination guide.
The Etihad Wellness sanitisation and safety programme, which ensures the highest standards of hygiene are maintained at every stage of the customer journey is also providing immense support towards flying to, from, and via Abu Dhabi. It includes specially trained Wellness Ambassadors, a first in the industry, introduced by the airline to provide essential travel health information and care on the ground and on every flight, so guests can fly with greater ease and peace of mind.
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
