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


Hayley Skirka
  • English
  • Arabic

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
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
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.

While you're here
How to report a beggar

Abu Dhabi – Call 999 or 8002626 (Aman Service)

Dubai – Call 800243

Sharjah – Call 065632222

Ras Al Khaimah - Call 072053372

Ajman – Call 067401616

Umm Al Quwain – Call 999

Fujairah - Call 092051100 or 092224411

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The%20Kitchen
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EDaniel%20Kaluuya%2C%20Kibwe%20Tavares%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EKane%20Robinson%2C%20Jedaiah%20Bannerman%2C%20Hope%20Ikpoku%20Jnr%2C%20Fiona%20Marr%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Specs

Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

Available: Now

What is a Ponzi scheme?

A fraudulent investment operation where the scammer provides fake reports and generates returns for old investors through money paid by new investors, rather than through ligitimate business activities.

'Young girls thinking of big ideas'

Words come easy for aspiring writer Afra Al Muhairb. The business side of books, on the other hand, is entirely foreign to the 16-year-old Emirati. So, she followed her father’s advice and enroled in the Abu Dhabi Education Council’s summer entrepreneurship course at Abu Dhabi University hoping to pick up a few new skills.

“Most of us have this dream of opening a business,” said Afra, referring to her peers are “young girls thinking of big ideas.”

In the three-week class, pupils are challenged to come up with a business and develop an operational and marketing plan to support their idea. But, the learning goes far beyond sales and branding, said teacher Sonia Elhaj.

“It’s not only about starting up a business, it’s all the meta skills that goes with it -- building self confidence, communication,” said Ms Elhaj. “It’s a way to coach them and to harness ideas and to allow them to be creative. They are really hungry to do this and be heard. They are so happy to be actually doing something, to be engaged in creating something new, not only sitting and listening and getting new information and new knowledge. Now they are applying that knowledge.”

Afra’s team decided to focus their business idea on a restaurant modelled after the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Each level would have a different international cuisine and all the meat would be halal. The pupils thought of this after discussing a common problem they face when travelling abroad.

“Sometimes we find the struggle of finding halal food, so we just eat fish and cheese, so it’s hard for us to spend 20 days with fish and cheese,” said Afra. “So we made this tower so every person who comes – from Africa, from America – they will find the right food to eat.”

rpennington@thenational.ae

Brief scores:

Scotland 371-5, 50 overs (C MacLeod 140 no, K Coetzer 58, G Munsey 55)

England 365 all out, 48.5 overs (J Bairstow 105, A Hales 52; M Watt 3-55)

Result: Scotland won by six runs

Ipaf in numbers

Established: 2008

Prize money:  $50,000 (Dh183,650) for winners and $10,000 for those on the shortlist.

Winning novels: 13

Shortlisted novels: 66

Longlisted novels: 111

Total number of novels submitted: 1,780

Novels translated internationally: 66

ABU%20DHABI%20CARD
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E5pm%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EWathba%20Stallions%20Cup%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(PA)%20Dh70%2C000%20(Turf)%202%2C200m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E5.30pm%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20Rub%20Al%20Khali%20%E2%80%93%20Maiden%20(PA)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%201%2C400m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E6pm%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAl%20Marmoom%20Desert%20%E2%80%93%20Maiden%20(PA)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%201%2C600m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E6.30pm%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ELiwa%20Oasis%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(PA)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%201%2C400m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E7pm%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAl%20Khatim%20Desert%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(PA)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%201%2C600m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E7.30pm%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Al%20Quadra%20Desert%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(TB)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%201%2C600m%3C%2Fp%3E%0A