Etihad has resumed flights between Abu Dhabi and Istanbul (pictured). Unsplash
Etihad has resumed flights between Abu Dhabi and Istanbul (pictured). Unsplash
Etihad has resumed flights between Abu Dhabi and Istanbul (pictured). Unsplash
Etihad has resumed flights between Abu Dhabi and Istanbul (pictured). Unsplash

Etihad resumes flights between Abu Dhabi and Istanbul


Hayley Skirka
  • English
  • Arabic

Etihad has resumed services to Turkey, flying twice-weekly from Abu Dhabi to Istanbul.

Operated via a Boeing 787-9 aircraft with both Business and Economy cabins, the four-and-a-half-hour flight departs the UAE on Fridays and Saturdays. Return flights from Istanbul, Turkey's largest city, operate on Fridays and Sundays.

Return Economy fares start from Dh2,745 and all passengers must have a negative Covid-19 test before boarding any Etihad flight.

In December, Dubai's Emirates and low-cost airline flydubai resumed flights to Istanbul. It marked the first time that commercial passenger flights operated from the UAE to Turkey since the onset of the global pandemic.

Etihad requires 100 per cent of passengers to have a negative Covid-19 PCR test before boarding any flight. Courtesy Etihad
Etihad requires 100 per cent of passengers to have a negative Covid-19 PCR test before boarding any flight. Courtesy Etihad

Turkey has reopened to travellers but with strict entry requirements in place.

Anyone landing in the country will undergo a medical evaluation for symptoms of Covid-19, including temperature checks. Travellers must also fill in a passenger locator form and have proof of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of boarding flights to Turkey.

Transit passengers are excluded from this rule, unless they are flying from the UK, Denmark or South Africa.

Etihad, the national airline of the UAE, continues to rebuild its network following pandemic-related closures. The airline is set to operate to 60 destinations over winter, with flights to resume to Athens, Moscow and Rome in early February.

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Read more:

Bahrain added to Abu Dhabi's 'green list' of quarantine-free countries

Anantara's Sir Bani Yas Island resorts to reopen with all-inclusive deals

How the pandemic will change the way we travel

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Election pledges on migration

CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections" 

SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom" 

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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

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In Windhoek, Namibia - Top two teams qualify for the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, which starts on March 4.

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