• A health worker takes a nasal swab sample of a man for a Covid-19 test at City Railway station, in Bengaluru, India. The Karnataka government has made this a mandatory rule for all the travellers coming to the province.
    A health worker takes a nasal swab sample of a man for a Covid-19 test at City Railway station, in Bengaluru, India. The Karnataka government has made this a mandatory rule for all the travellers coming to the province.
  • A health worker collects a swab sample from a child arriving on an international flight at Chennai International Airport.
    A health worker collects a swab sample from a child arriving on an international flight at Chennai International Airport.
  • A health worker collects a swab sample from a passenger arriving on an international flight to test for the Covid-19 coronavirus at Chennai International Airport in Chennai, east India.
    A health worker collects a swab sample from a passenger arriving on an international flight to test for the Covid-19 coronavirus at Chennai International Airport in Chennai, east India.
  • A health worker collects a swab sample for the Covid-19 test, from a passenger arriving on an international flight at a facility at Chennai International Airport.
    A health worker collects a swab sample for the Covid-19 test, from a passenger arriving on an international flight at a facility at Chennai International Airport.
  • Doctors and nurses working for NMC Healthcare celebrate as they return to Sharjah from Kochi and Trivandrum in south-west India on two specially chartered Air Arabia services. Many more will soon follow as travel rules are eased.
    Doctors and nurses working for NMC Healthcare celebrate as they return to Sharjah from Kochi and Trivandrum in south-west India on two specially chartered Air Arabia services. Many more will soon follow as travel rules are eased.
  • Members of the Netherlands and Indian Olympic teams wait for Covid-19 testing after arriving at Narita International Airport, serving Japan's capital Tokyo.
    Members of the Netherlands and Indian Olympic teams wait for Covid-19 testing after arriving at Narita International Airport, serving Japan's capital Tokyo.

UAE

When will UAE flights resume? Emirates and Etihad on standby to return stranded residents

Airlines schedule flights from Thursday as thousands apply for permission to return home

Rory Reynolds
Rory Reynolds

August 04, 2021

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Latest: Dubai residents stuck abroad need GDRFA and ICA approval to return

The UAE's two main airlines are preparing to resume passenger flights from six countries on Thursday after a coronavirus-imposed travel ban was eased.

Emirates and Etihad said they were working on schedules for services from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Nigeria and Uganda, but were awaiting clarification from the authorities.

"We will publish details of the latest protocols and requirements on our travel requirements page, as soon as these are available," Emirates said.

Emirates had several flights from India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka to Dubai on its website on Thursday. Most one-way ticket prices started from about Dh1,000.

These included two flights from Chennai, leaving at 4am and 9.50am, and three flights from Mumbai to DXB at 4.30am, 10.10am and 7.20pm. Two flights from Delhi were listed as departing at 11am and 4.15pm on Thursday.

Other Emirates flights from Pakistan are available from Karachi and Peshawar to Dubai on Thursday. One flight leaves Karachi at 3.25am and another at 12.20pm, while a flight from Peshawar is available from 9am, landing in Dubai at 11.20am.

Flights from Sri Lanka are also available with Emirates. Those looking to return to Dubai can book on the 10.05am flight from Colombo on Thursday, or the 3.15am flight on Friday, August 6 arriving at 6am.

Etihad said: "As some restrictions will ease from August 5, we are working to resume flights as soon as possible for eligible guests to travel to the UAE and for transit."

On Tuesday, the government said fully vaccinated UAE residents from those countries can return – as long as they were vaccinated in the Emirates.

In addition, unvaccinated people stuck abroad who are in key job categories, can also apply to return.

Officials referred to an application for permission from the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship website.

The ICA permission to return link can be found here. Passengers are required to upload a picture of their residency visa and Emirates ID, along with a recent PCR test and vaccination certificate.

Vaccination certificates can be downloaded from the Seha and Dubai Health Authority applications.

Indian expats travel far and wide to quarantine in green list countries - in pictures

  • Thousands of travellers like Gagan Seth and his wife Vaishali quarantine in green countries including Ethiopia to reach the UAE from India due to flight restrictions to stem the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
    Thousands of travellers like Gagan Seth and his wife Vaishali quarantine in green countries including Ethiopia to reach the UAE from India due to flight restrictions to stem the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
  • Gagan Seth and his wife Vaishali return to Dubai from India after 14-day quarantine in Addis Ababa.
    Gagan Seth and his wife Vaishali return to Dubai from India after 14-day quarantine in Addis Ababa.
  • Gagan and Vaishali Seth flew from Delhi to Addis Ababa where they quarantined for two weeks before returning to Dubai. The couple were in India to take care of Gagan's elderly parents who tested positive for Covid-19.
    Gagan and Vaishali Seth flew from Delhi to Addis Ababa where they quarantined for two weeks before returning to Dubai. The couple were in India to take care of Gagan's elderly parents who tested positive for Covid-19.
  • Dubai resident Gagan Seth and his wife Vaishali went to India to take care of his parents who contracted Covid-19. They took a break during a 14-day quarantine in Addis Ababa before returning to Dubai.
    Dubai resident Gagan Seth and his wife Vaishali went to India to take care of his parents who contracted Covid-19. They took a break during a 14-day quarantine in Addis Ababa before returning to Dubai.
  • Ranjeet Nair and his wife Minnu Balachandran heading to Dubai after spending months in India for a family medical emergency.
    Ranjeet Nair and his wife Minnu Balachandran heading to Dubai after spending months in India for a family medical emergency.
  • Minnu Balachandran and her husband Ranjeet Nair (not in pic) spent 14 days in Uzbekistan as part of a mandatory quarantine requirement before returning to Dubai.
    Minnu Balachandran and her husband Ranjeet Nair (not in pic) spent 14 days in Uzbekistan as part of a mandatory quarantine requirement before returning to Dubai.
  • Minnu Balachandran and her husband Ranjeet Nair (not in photo) return to Dubai after a two-week quarantine in Uzbekistan.
    Minnu Balachandran and her husband Ranjeet Nair (not in photo) return to Dubai after a two-week quarantine in Uzbekistan.
  • UAE residents Ranjeet Nair and his wife Minnu Balanchandran take a break in Uzbekistan. Hundreds of travellers from India are spending mandatory quarantine in green countries deemed safe for travel before returning to the UAE.
    UAE residents Ranjeet Nair and his wife Minnu Balanchandran take a break in Uzbekistan. Hundreds of travellers from India are spending mandatory quarantine in green countries deemed safe for travel before returning to the UAE.
  • Dubai resident Fouad Ashraf with his family in Serbia before returning to the UAE
    Dubai resident Fouad Ashraf with his family in Serbia before returning to the UAE
  • Jeevan D’Mello with his wife Cecilia in Armenia before returning to Dubai.
    Jeevan D’Mello with his wife Cecilia in Armenia before returning to Dubai.
  • Jeevan D’Mello and Cecilia D’Mello in Armenia that is among preferred quarantine locations for Indian travelers returning to the UAE.
    Jeevan D’Mello and Cecilia D’Mello in Armenia that is among preferred quarantine locations for Indian travelers returning to the UAE.
  • Dubai residents Jeevan and Cecilia D’Mello in Armenia as part of a 14-day stay in a green country considered safe after travel from India.
    Dubai residents Jeevan and Cecilia D’Mello in Armenia as part of a 14-day stay in a green country considered safe after travel from India.
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Emirates reiterated that eligible customers will only be allowed to transit through UAE from the countries below:

Afghanistan

Bangladesh

Indonesia

South Africa

Vietnam

Zambia

Unvaccinated people in certain job categories can also return

There are further exemptions that cover people who are not vaccinated. They include medical workers, teachers at schools and universities in the Emirates, students, residents with extenuating circumstances, patients undergoing medical treatment in the UAE and employees who work for federal or local government agencies.

Kareem Shaheen on Canada
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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.”

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Updated: August 04, 2021, 1:03 PM
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