Dubai-based airline Emirates is set to resume flights between the UK and the holiday hotspot amid the ongoing travel bans. Journeys restarted on February 2 and will see daily flights from Heathrow, as well as four weekly services from Manchester.
Under current lockdown regulations, Britons are not permitted to travel for leisure.
Only “essential” international travel is permitted under the current UK Government guidelines.
Furthermore, those returning from the United Arab Emirates, including popular holiday destination Dubai, are subject to ten days of quarantine.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is advising “against all but essential travel to the United Arab Emirates based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks.”
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“Passengers travelling from the UK should ensure they are permitted to travel as per latest the UK Government advisory and check the local entry requirements of their destination.
“Emirates remains committed to serving our customers in the UK and continues to work closely with all relevant authorities in this regard.
“The health and safety of our customers, colleagues and the communities we serve, will always be our top priority.”
The UAE was added to the UK’s “red list” for travel last week.
The FCDO states: “From 0400 on January 30 to the UK are prohibited (sic).
“Visitors who have been in or transited through the UAE in the previous 10 days cannot enter England.
“British and Irish nationals and third-country nationals with residence rights in the UK arriving in the UK from the UAE will need to self-isolate along with their households on their return.”
It comes after many social media influencers and celebrities were criticised for jetting off to Dubai over the winter period for holidays.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Home Secretary Priti Patel slammed influencers for “showing off” in the sun while the majority of the UK endured the third national lockdown.
“We see plenty of influencers on social media showing off about which parts of the world that they are in, mainly in sunny parts of the world,” she said.
“Going on holiday is not an exemption and it is important that people stay at home.”
There are also strict rules for those travelling from the UK into Dubai.
“Residents returning to Dubai still need to get approval before travelling,” states the FCDO.
“From January 31 all tourists, visitors and residents travelling from or through the UK and arriving in Dubai must have a negative COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test which was taken no more than 72 hours before departure and present the certificate at check-in.
“Travellers may also be required to undertake a further COVID-19 PCR test on arrival in Dubai and will have to isolate pending the result of the COVID-19 PCR test.”
