Etihad airlines temporarily suspended flights to Shanghai after six passengers tested positive for Covid 19. The Etihad flight EY862 took off from Abu Dhabi on August 3. Upon arrival at Pudong International Airport,, six passengers tested positive in their nucleic acid tests. All the six travellers had submitted mandatory PCR testing, exhibited no symptoms and also provided negative result certificates for Covid-19 upon check-in. Meanwhile, Airline Ticket Rates In UAE Could Drop In September
The travellers are currently under quarantine at a medical facility in Shanghai. In line with the above incident, China has temporarily suspended Etihad’s upcoming flights to Shanghai. The list of flights cancelled include:
- Flight EY682 set to depart Abu Dhabi on August 17 for China
- Flight EY867 from Shanghai to the UAE on August 18. The airline is notifying travellers who were due to fly on either of these flights.
Earlier, Six Passengers Test Positive After Taking Emirates Flight To Australia.
Etihad Introduces New Rules For Shanghai Flights
Etihad has rolled out a set of new rules for future flights to Shanghai. Here’s a list of all the new rules:
- Travellers must produce a negative Covid-19 PCR test result, within 48 hours of departure from Abu Dhabi. The test could previously be done 96 hours prior to departure.
- Passengers must show the negative PCR result before boarding. The rule applies for children and infants as well.
- The test must be done at a clinic recognized by the local government or designated by the Chinese Embassy in the departure country
- Passengers traveling from UAE must get their test done only from Mediclinic and SEHA screening facilities
In addition, those who test positive will not be allowed to travel. Etihad will rebook their flight free of cost or travellers can opt to cancel the ticket and use the value of their flight towards their next trip. Lastly, all travellers must sign a health declaration form and share a screenshot of the same at check-in. Paper copies will not be accepted. Etihad resumed weekly flights to Shanghai on 27 July. All passengers had to submit a negative PCR test prior to departure.
Also read: 20 People Test Positive For Covid-19 After Attending A Wedding In Abu Dhabi
More Flights To China Suspended
China suspended flights serviced by China Eastern Airlines from Shanghai to Manila, after passengers tested positive. Similarly, SriLankan Airlines has also been suspended. Flights from Colombo to Shanghai are to be suspended for four weeks from Monday, August 17. According to the Civil Aviation Administration of China, this was done to cap the number of positive cases coming in from arriving passengers. Meanwhile, read this story on How a Dubai resident got home from India after traveling for 40 hours.