Authorities across the emirate have stepped up efforts in recent weeks in an effort to drive down infections. Bloomberg
Authorities across the emirate have stepped up efforts in recent weeks in an effort to drive down infections. Bloomberg
Authorities across the emirate have stepped up efforts in recent weeks in an effort to drive down infections. Bloomberg
Authorities across the emirate have stepped up efforts in recent weeks in an effort to drive down infections. Bloomberg

Etihad to include Covid-19 test in ticket price for flights from Abu Dhabi

Airline will offer testing as part of its fares for UAE customers until the end of the year

Emma Day
Emma Day

October 01, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

Etihad Airways will include a Covid-19 test in the price of tickets for UAE customers departing from Abu Dhabi until the end of the year.

The national airline will offer all passengers flying out of the UAE capital the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test at Life Medical Diagnostic Centres around the country as part of their airfare.

The test is typically between Dh180 and Dh370 at health clinics and testing centres across the country.

Etihad's offer is not available, however, on flights departing Abu Dhabi for China. Passengers bound for China must organise a PCR test at a Seha facility, with the test taken within 48 hours of departure.

All travellers are currently required to present negative test results in order to board Etihad flights.

The price of PCR testing will be included in all tickets booked by passengers between Thursday, October 1 and Thursday, December 31. Tests can be taken up to 96 hours ahead of a flight's departure time, while First and Business Class passengers have the option to take the test from their own homes.

“This is a significant development which allows Etihad to provide greater ease of travel for those departing from Abu Dhabi, by removing as much inconvenience from the PCR testing process as possible," says Dr Nadia Bastaki, Etihad's vice president of medical services.

"This is one further step in the efforts being made by Etihad to provide a professional, secure and protected travel experience at every stage of their journey with us.”

All passengers need to have a negative PCR test to board an Etihad flight. Courtesy Etihad
All passengers need to have a negative PCR test to board an Etihad flight. Courtesy Etihad

The Life Medical Diagnostic Centre network has the capacity to handle 40,000 tests a day, according to chief executive Hosam Fouad.

Etihad earlier partnered with Mediclinic Middle East and Seha to offer passengers the option to take PCR tests from home; these can still be used, but do cost a separate fee.

In September, Etihad also introduced free medical cover for Covid-19-related expenses for passengers. The airline introduced complimentary insurance – being offered through AXA – as part of its Etihad Wellness programme. Dubai airline Emirates also offers free Covid-19 related medical cover to its passengers.

Tests can be booked directly with Life Dx. For more information, visit www.etihad.com

_________________

Click through the gallery below to see the destinations currently served on Etihad's network:

  • INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: Etihad plans to resume flights to Ahmedabad in India from September 1. Pictures courtesy Unsplash unless otherwise specified.
    INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: Etihad plans to resume flights to Ahmedabad in India from September 1. Pictures courtesy Unsplash unless otherwise specified.
  • Flights to India's Bengaluru are set to resume on September 1.
    Flights to India's Bengaluru are set to resume on September 1.
  • Etihad is flying special services to Chennai throughout August, but will restart its regular service to the Indian city on September 1.
    Etihad is flying special services to Chennai throughout August, but will restart its regular service to the Indian city on September 1.
  • Colombo, Sri Lanka. Courtesy Shangri-La Hotels
    Colombo, Sri Lanka. Courtesy Shangri-La Hotels
  • Etihad is operating special flights to India's Hyderabad in August and will resume regular flights on September 1.
    Etihad is operating special flights to India's Hyderabad in August and will resume regular flights on September 1.
  • Islamabad, Pakistan. Passengers travelling from Pakistan must follow new travel regulations including downloading the UAE Al Hosn app before flying.
    Islamabad, Pakistan. Passengers travelling from Pakistan must follow new travel regulations including downloading the UAE Al Hosn app before flying.
  • Karachi, Pakistan. Magnitt releases Pakistan start-up funding report, as the data platform expands beyond Mena.
    Karachi, Pakistan. Magnitt releases Pakistan start-up funding report, as the data platform expands beyond Mena.
  • Special flights are operating to India's Kochi in August, with regular flights from September 1.
    Special flights are operating to India's Kochi in August, with regular flights from September 1.
  • Flights to Kolkata, India are set to resume on September 1.
    Flights to Kolkata, India are set to resume on September 1.
  • Etihad will fly to Kozhikode, India from September 1.
    Etihad will fly to Kozhikode, India from September 1.
  • Lahore, Pakistan. Courtesy pxfuel
    Lahore, Pakistan. Courtesy pxfuel
  • The Maldives are open to travellers.
    The Maldives are open to travellers.
  • Special flights are operating to Mumbai, India in August with regular flights set to start on September 1.
    Special flights are operating to Mumbai, India in August with regular flights set to start on September 1.
  • Special flights are operating to New Delhi throughout August with regular flights to the Indian city scheduled to resume September 1.
    Special flights are operating to New Delhi throughout August with regular flights to the Indian city scheduled to resume September 1.
  • Flights to India's Thiruvananthapuram are scheduled from September 1.
    Flights to India's Thiruvananthapuram are scheduled from September 1.
  • ASIA AND AUSTRALASIA: Flights to Baku in Azerbaijan resume September 1. Courtesy Wikimedia Commons
    ASIA AND AUSTRALASIA: Flights to Baku in Azerbaijan resume September 1. Courtesy Wikimedia Commons
  • Bangkok, Thailand.
    Bangkok, Thailand.
  • Jakarta, Indonesia.
    Jakarta, Indonesia.
  • Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
    Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • Manila, the Philippines.
    Manila, the Philippines.
  • Melbourne (outbound flights only until August 31), Australia.
    Melbourne (outbound flights only until August 31), Australia.
  • Seoul, South Korea.
    Seoul, South Korea.
  • Shanghai, China is the latest destination that Etihad is flying to with flights resuming on August 24.
    Shanghai, China is the latest destination that Etihad is flying to with flights resuming on August 24.
  • Singapore.
    Singapore.
  • Sydney, Australia.
    Sydney, Australia.
  • Tokyo, Japan.
    Tokyo, Japan.
  • EUROPE: Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
    EUROPE: Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
  • Athens, Greece.
    Athens, Greece.
  • Barcelona, Spain.
    Barcelona, Spain.
  • Belgrade, Serbia.
    Belgrade, Serbia.
  • Brussels, Belgium.
    Brussels, Belgium.
  • Travel is open, but a two-week quarantine period is in place in Ireland.
    Travel is open, but a two-week quarantine period is in place in Ireland.
  • Dusseldorf, Germany. Courtesy Kat Pilger / Wikimedia Commons
    Dusseldorf, Germany. Courtesy Kat Pilger / Wikimedia Commons
  • Frankfurt, Germany.
    Frankfurt, Germany.
  • Geneva, Switzerland.
    Geneva, Switzerland.
  • Etihad will fly to Istanbul, Turkey from September 1.
    Etihad will fly to Istanbul, Turkey from September 1.
  • Travellers flying to London must quarantine for two weeks.
    Travellers flying to London must quarantine for two weeks.
  • Madrid, Spain. Wikimedia Commons
    Madrid, Spain. Wikimedia Commons
  • Manchester, UK.
    Manchester, UK.
  • Milan, Italy.
    Milan, Italy.
  • Minsk, Belarus.
    Minsk, Belarus.
  • Etihad will resume flights to Moscow in Russia from September 1.
    Etihad will resume flights to Moscow in Russia from September 1.
  • Munich, Germany.
    Munich, Germany.
  • Paris, France.
    Paris, France.
  • Rome, Italy.
    Rome, Italy.
  • Zurich, Switzerland.
    Zurich, Switzerland.
  • MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA: Amman, Jordan. Flights are scheduled to resume on September 1.
    MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA: Amman, Jordan. Flights are scheduled to resume on September 1.
  • Manama, Bahrain.
    Manama, Bahrain.
  • Beirut, Lebanon.
    Beirut, Lebanon.
  • Foreigners need a Covid-19 test to travel to most places in Egypt.
    Foreigners need a Covid-19 test to travel to most places in Egypt.
  • Emirates will resume flights to Casablanca in Morocco from September 18.
    Emirates will resume flights to Casablanca in Morocco from September 18.
  • Etihad plans to fly to Damman, Saudi Arabia from September 1 pending government approval.
    Etihad plans to fly to Damman, Saudi Arabia from September 1 pending government approval.
  • Etihad will fly to Saudi Arabia's Jeddah from September 1, pending approval.
    Etihad will fly to Saudi Arabia's Jeddah from September 1, pending approval.
  • Kuwait City, Kuwait.
    Kuwait City, Kuwait.
  • Flights to neighbouring Muscat in Oman are scheduled to resume on September 1.
    Flights to neighbouring Muscat in Oman are scheduled to resume on September 1.
  • The airline will fly to Rabat, Morocco from September 10. Courtesy Wikimedia Commons
    The airline will fly to Rabat, Morocco from September 10. Courtesy Wikimedia Commons
  • Etihad plans to resume flights to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on September 1.
    Etihad plans to resume flights to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on September 1.
  • The Seychelles is open to travellers from select countries.
    The Seychelles is open to travellers from select countries.
  • NORTH AMERICA: Chicago, USA.
    NORTH AMERICA: Chicago, USA.
  • New York, USA.
    New York, USA.
  • Toronto, Canada.
    Toronto, Canada.
  • Washington DC, USA.
    Washington DC, USA.
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Our legal consultant

Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

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Desert Warrior

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley

Director: Rupert Wyatt

Rating: 3/5

The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
The 15 players selected

Muzzamil Afridi, Rahman Gul, Rizwan Haider (Dezo Devils); Shahbaz Ahmed, Suneth Sampath (Glory Gladiators); Waqas Gohar, Jamshaid Butt, Shadab Ahamed (Ganga Fighters); Ali Abid, Ayaz Butt, Ghulam Farid, JD Mahesh Kumara (Hiranni Heros); Inam Faried, Mausif Khan, Ashok Kumar (Texas Titans

What are the influencer academy modules?
  1. Mastery of audio-visual content creation. 
  2. Cinematography, shots and movement.
  3. All aspects of post-production.
  4. Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
  5. Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
  6. Tourism industry knowledge.
  7. Professional ethics.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea
More from Con Coughlin
Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

The%20Roundup
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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).

If you go

The flights
Etihad (etihad.com) flies from Abu Dhabi to Luang Prabang via Bangkok, with a return flight from Chiang Rai via Bangkok for about Dh3,000, including taxes. Emirates and Thai Airways cover the same route, also via Bangkok in both directions, from about Dh2,700.
The cruise
The Gypsy by Mekong Kingdoms has two cruising options: a three-night, four-day trip upstream cruise or a two-night, three-day downstream journey, from US$5,940 (Dh21,814), including meals, selected drinks, excursions and transfers.
The hotels
Accommodation is available in Luang Prabang at the Avani, from $290 (Dh1,065) per night, and at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp and Resort from $1,080 (Dh3,967) per night, including meals, an activity and transfers.

The National Archives, Abu Dhabi

Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.

Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en

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How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
  • Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
  • Submit their request
What are the regulations?
  • Fly it within visual line of sight
  • Never over populated areas
  • Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
  • Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
  • Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
UAE Premiership

Results
Dubai Exiles 24-28 Jebel Ali Dragons
Abu Dhabi Harlequins 43-27 Dubai Hurricanes

Fixture
Friday, March 29, Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Jebel Ali Dragons, The Sevens, Dubai

Coronavirus