Emirates Airlines have resumed operations in Ghana and four other African countries excluding Nigeria earlier slammed with travel restrictions by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The UAE had on December 27, 2021, added Ghana, and eight other countries to its no-fly list prompting the country’s carrier, the Emirates, to suspend flights to the countries.
However, a notice on the Emirates’ website said resumption of passenger services from Guinea, Uganda, Ghana, Cote D’Ivoire and Angola commenced January 13.
“From 13 January 2022, Emirates will resume passenger services to and from Guinea (CKY), Cote d’Ivoire (ABJ), Ghana (ACC), Uganda (EBB) and Angola (LAD),” the notice read.
It further said that passengers arriving and transiting in Dubai from the above destinations must meet the following requirements:
“Passengers travelling to Dubai from Guinea (CKY), Uganda (EBB) or Ghana (ACC) require a negative PCR test certificate with a QR code for a test conducted at an approved facility within 48 hours of departure, a 06‑hours Rapid PCR with a QR code, and a PCR test on arrival in DXB. Test validity is calculated from the time the sample was collected.
“Passengers travelling from or via Senegal (DSS) require a negative PCR test certificate with a QR code for the test conducted at an approved facility within 72 hours of departure, and a PCR test on arrival in DXB. Test validity is calculated from the time the sample was collected.
“Passengers travelling to Dubai from Angola (LAD) and Cote d’Ivoire (ABJ) require a negative PCR test certificate with a QR code for a test conducted at an approved facility within 72 hours of departure, and a PCR test on arrival in DXB. Test validity is calculated from the time the sample was collected.
“Passengers who are required to take a COVID‑19 PCR test on arrival must remain in self‑quarantine until they receive the test result,” the airline said.
The Nigerian government had in December suspended Emirates’ winter schedule in retaliation for the refusal of the Sharjah Airport authorities to grant Nigeria’s carrier, Air Peace, the three slots it requested.
The suspension was lifted after the Dubai Airport authorities granted Air Peace seven slots.
But the UAE authorities imposed a fresh restriction on Nigeria and other African countries as part of its Omicron travel ban to contain the spread of the COVID-19 variant.
