Emirates is roaring back into the skies, already serving an incredible 50 international destinations once again. With each destination comes unique challenges and risks, particularly when it comes to travelers originating from areas which are still suffering high rates of covid-19 infections. That’s why Emirates has become the first airline to require a negative covid-19 test before boarding, for travelers from quite a few countries.
Emirates Adds Covid-19 Testing Requirement For 12 Countries
If you’re hoping to jet off on Emirates, you may soon need a negative covid-19 PCR test, or risk denied boarding, wherever your final destination may be. In fact, if you’re traveling from one of 12 countries, you absolutely will, and it’ll be at your own expense.
Travelers originating from 12 countries will be subject to the new rules effective July 10th, 2020 in an effort to keep active covid-19 cases off of planes, and restore confidence to the skies. Recent negative covid-19 tests taken within 96 hours of departure will be mandatory, and must be conducted by a government approved lab, for Emirates flights from…
- Afghanistan
- Bangladesh
- Egypt
- India
- Iran
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Philippines
- Russian Federation
- Sudan
- Tanzania
- USA*
Good news, New Yorkers, that little asterisk on the USA means you’re not included. Bad news, California, Texas and Florida, you are. Emirates will require negative covid-19 tests for all travelers departing: Dallas Fort Worth (DFW), Houston (IAH), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Los Angeles (LAX), Orlando (MCO) and San Francisco (SFO).
If you’re flying via New York on an itinerary which actually originates with a connection on any airline from one of these areas, you will also need a negative test, but travelers whose itineraries initiate in New York are exempt from the requirement. There’s no indication as to how long the requirement will last.
Country Restrictions With Covid-19
Many countries now require a recent negative covid-19 test result before allowing passengers to pass through immigration, including Emirates home in Dubai, UAE. Even if Emirates doesn’t require a negative covid-19 test for you to board a flight, your final destination, or even intermediary point may require one, so it’s vital to keep up to date on fluid travel entry requirements.
Here’s the best resource for staying up to date on travel entry restrictions and requirements.
A Covid-19 Test For A Flight: The New Norm?
For travelers in Europe and other parts of the world, it’s mostly business as usual, albeit with masks. But for travelers in 12 countries, Emirates is now applying pressure for others to adapt testing before flight as the new normal.
Since the dreadful covid-19 pandemic, quite a few flights have made the news as hotbeds of active transmission at a time when airlines are trying to encourage safety and confidence in the skies. This move is a big step toward not only creating a system of safety measures on board, but before travel is even allowed at all. But the question remains – will you buy in, or will you stay home until travel resumes as it was once before?
Russia used to require a negative HIV test for multi entry visa.
I’m Actually fine with this Covid test requirement
What if someone tested positive on the way back? Do they have to buy a new ticket or the return ticket could be rescheduled without any additional cost. Also, I can see from various social media news that results were wrong in some cases, in one of the Emirates authorised source said the person was covid positive, howerever in another test centre which is authorised by Govt said that the same person was covid negetive so what would be Emirates response to this.