A complete guide to passenger flights in and out of the UAE: Emirates and Flydubai add Egypt flights

Commercial passenger flights in and out of Dubai and Abu Dhabi were grounded on March 24, but UAE airlines are operating outbound repatriation flights for those in the country trying to get home and Emirates and Etihad have also started inbound flights for residents and nationals trying to return to the UAE.

What are repatriation flights?

They are government-approved services intended to take people back to their home countries.

The majority of repatriation flights will only accept passengers who are permanent residents or citizens of a destination, while some may take travellers who are from neighbouring countries so they can then make their way home.

How can I book a repatriation flight?

Most passengers can book these flights online via an airline's website, and travellers typically do not need permission from their embassies to travel.

Repatriation flights are generally non-refundable and destination changes are typically not allowed.

The situation is changing by the hour, so it is strongly advised to check your eligibility to travel before booking a ticket for one of these special services. Check with the airline and also review regulations listed on the website for the International Air Transport Association.

What about the flights for residents and nationals returning to the UAE?

Emirates and Etihad are operating special passenger services for nationals and residents of the UAE who want to return to the country.

Travellers who wish to fly back to Dubai or Abu Dhabi must have approval from UAE authorities before booking such a flight. This can be applied for via the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship .

If applications are successful, residents will receive an approval code and a letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. These documents are required before travellers can book incoming flights. UAE citizenship or residency is also required (remember, residency visas that expired after March 1, 2020 have been extended until the end of December 2020).

"Expats who have their visa expiring after March 1, 2020, will have them valid until the end of December this year whether they are inside or outside the country," said Brig Khamis Al Kaabi, of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship last month.

How can I book a flight back to the UAE?

Bookings for return flights can be made online via Emirates or via Etihad's call centre. These flights cannot be booked via travel agents.

Etihad will request the approval code from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before allowing travellers to book a flight.

Emirates allows travellers to book flights online, but all passengers must show a letter of approval at check-in. Passengers who do not have this will be denied boarding.

Online check-in is not available and travellers will be pre-assigned seats following social distancing rules. If you are travelling as a family, you can advise staff of this upon check-in and operational teams will allocate seating accordingly where possible. No cabin baggage is allowed on flights other than handbags, laptop bags, briefcases and baby items.

Upon arrival in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, passengers will need to undertake a nasal swab test and pass thermal sensors. All incoming passengers must self-isolate for 14 days.

Here is everything you need to know about passenger flights to the UAE...

Emirates: To Dubai from London and Frankfurt

Emirates is operating inbound flights to Dubai from Germany and the UK.

From Frankfurt, flights are available on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays from May 11. One-way fares start from €591 (Dh2,364).

From London, Emirates will operate flights on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from May 10. One-way fares in economy class start from £551 (Dh2,511).

Etihad: From Europe and Asia

Etihad is operating inbound flights from 16 destinations to Abu Dhabi with services operating until Monday, June 15.

Europe

Amsterdam: Mondays and Wednesdays until June 15
Barcelona: Sundays until June 14
Dublin: Saturdays until June 13
Frankfurt: Sundays until June 14
Geneva: Saturdays until June 14
London: Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays until June 15
Madrid: Saturday, June 13
Milan: Sundays until June 14
Paris: Sundays until June 14

Asia

Jakarta: Fridays until June 12
Kuala Lumpur: Saturdays until June 13
Seoul: Fridays until June 12
Singapore: Wednesdays until June 10
Tokyo: Wednesdays until June 10

Oceania

Melbourne: Fridays until June 12
Sydney: Wednesdays from May 27 until June 10

Outbound repatriation flights: Air Arabia to launch Egypt flights

Air Arabia will commence repatriation flights from April. Air Arabia

Low-cost airline Air Arabia will operate repatriation services to Egypt. The outbound flights will help Egyptian nationals in the UAE return home. The special flights will operate from Sharjah International Airport to Cairo International Airport and Borg El Arab International Airport, Alexandria. The flights will depart from Thursday, June 11 until Tuesday, June 16.

The low-cost carrier operated several outbound passenger services from Sharjah during the coronavirus pandemic. The first repatriation flight flew to Lar in Iran on Thursday, April 23.

Air Arabia announced a longer list of destinations for a mix of cargo and passenger flights including Afghanistan, Iran, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Sudan, Egypt, India and Nepal.

All repatriation flights depart from Sharjah International Airport. Updates will be announced on the airline's website.

Emirates: adds four flights to Egypt

Emirates has added four repatriation flights from Dubai to Cairo to help Egyptian nationals return home. Fares start from Dh2,000 one-way.

All Emirates flights depart from Terminal 3 at the Dubai International Airport. The airline advises passengers to arrive at the airport three hours before departure time and to wear face masks and gloves.

Passengers can book flights directly on emirates.com or via their travel agent. Travellers can check the airline's travel essentials page to find out whether flights are operating to their homeland.

Europe

London: Daily until June 30. Economy tickets start from Dh2,500.
Frankfurt: Every Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday until June 30. Fares in economy start from Dh2,500.

Asia

Manila: Friday, June 5 and Wednesday, June 17, subject to government approval.
Bangkok: Saturday, June 13

Africa

Accra: Friday, June 12 and Tuesday, June 16
Conakry: Thursday, June 11
Dakar: Thursday, June 11
Cairo: Flights on Sunday, June 14, Thursday, June 18, Friday, June 19 and Sunday, June 21
Tunis: Friday, June 12

Flydubai: Several flights added to Egypt

Dubai’s low-cost airline is offering repatriation flights to destinations in Europe and Asia from Dubai. Only economy-class tickets are available and fares include 20kg checked baggage allowance.

All Flydubai repatriation flights will operate from Terminal 2 at Dubai International Airport. Travellers can book flights online. All scheduled repatriation flights are subject to final government approval and the airline will focus on repatriation and cargo flights until at least Thursday, June 4.

One-way fares from Dh1,510

Egypt: Daily to Cairo from Friday, June 12 until Wednesday, June 17,
fares from Dh1,800
Serbia: To Belgrade on Saturday, June 13, fares from Dh2,810
Finland: To Helsinki on Friday, June 12, fares from Dh2,9600
Kyrgyzstan: To Bishkek on Sunday, June 21, fares from Dh1,510
Romania: To Bucharest on Friday, June 12 fares from Dh2,210
Ukraine: To Kyiv on Monday, June 15, fares from Dh1,810

Etihad: Flights to 17 destinations

Repatriation flights can be booked on the airline’s website. Etihad

Etihad Airways, the national airline for the UAE, has announced it will operate additional special passenger flights from Abu Dhabi to 17 destinations.

Tickets can be booked on Etihad's website. Because of the airline's social distancing rules, online check-in and seat selection is not available.

Here is a breakdown of the additional special services, though scheduling remains subject to change:

Europe

Amsterdam: Wednesdays and Fridays until May 29 then Mondays and Wednesdays until June 29
Barcelona: Sundays until June 28
Brussels: Fridays and Sundays until June 28
Dublin: Saturdays until June 27
Frankfurt: Sundays until June 30
Geneva: Saturdays until June 27
London: Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays until June 29
Madrid: Saturdays until June 27
Milan: Sundays until June 28
Paris: Sundays until June 28
Zurich: Sundays until June 28

Asia

Jakarta: Thursdays until June 25
Kuala Lumpur: Saturdays until June 27
Melbourne: Wednesday, May 20, Friday May 22, Wednesday, May 27 then Thursdays until June 25
Seoul: Saturdays and Thursdays until June 27
Singapore: Tuesdays until June 23
Tokyo: Mondays until June 22

The Abu Dhabi airline plans to gradually restart passenger flights as travel restrictions ease.

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Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)

What is THAAD?

It is considered to be the US' most superior missile defence system.

Production:

It was first created in 2008.

Speed:

THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.

Abilities:

THAAD is designed to take out projectiles, namely ballistic missiles, as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".

Purpose:

To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.

Range:

THAAD can target projectiles both inside and outside of the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 93 miles above the Earth's surface.

Creators:

Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.

UAE and THAAD:

In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then deployed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.

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Where to donate in the UAE

The Emirates Charity Portal

You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.

The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments

The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.

Al Noor Special Needs Centre

You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.

Beit Al Khair Society

Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.

Dar Al Ber Society

Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.

Dubai Cares

Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.

Emirates Airline Foundation

Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.

Emirates Red Crescent

On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.

Gulf for Good

Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.

Noor Dubai Foundation

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).

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How to keep control of your emotions

If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.

Greed

Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.

Tip: Ignore the short-term hype, noise and froth and invest for the long-term plan, based on sound fundamentals.

Fear

The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.

Tip: Start with a plan, and stick to it. For added security, consider placing stops to reduce any losses and limits to lock in profits.

Hope

While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.

Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.

Frustration

Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.

Tip: Accept in advance that asset price movements are completely unpredictable and you will suffer losses at some point. These can be managed, say, by attaching stops and limits to your trades.

Boredom

Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.

Tip: Open an online demo account and get your thrills without risking real money.

A complete guide to passenger flights in and out of the UAE: Emirates and Flydubai add Egypt flights

Everything you need to know about repatriation flights and those for returning residents with Emirates, Etihad, Flydubai and Air Arabia

What are repatriation flights?

How can I book a repatriation flight?

What about the flights for residents and nationals returning to the UAE?

How can I book a flight back to the UAE?

Here is everything you need to know about passenger flights to the UAE...

Emirates: To Dubai from London and Frankfurt

Etihad: From Europe and Asia

Outbound repatriation flights: Air Arabia to launch Egypt flights

Emirates: adds four flights to Egypt

Flydubai: Several flights added to Egypt

Etihad: Flights to 17 destinations

The specs

Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)

MATCH INFO

Our legal consultant

While you're here

Where to donate in the UAE

Game Changer

How to keep control of your emotions