In what will be deemed welcome news for all Ugandans

“Passengers from Uganda to Dubai are no longer required to undertake a second COVID19 PCR test within 6 hours prior to departure,” Vianney said.

“UAE Authorities have updated their travel protocols and now require only one PCR test undertaken within 48 hrs from a Ministry of Health approved lab,” he added.

Most travelers will be happy with new development, in view of what happened earlier this year.

In January, the United Arab Emirates suspended flights from Uganda to Dubai.

The UCAA revealed in a statement that flights that were inbound from Dubai would remain operational. However, those plying the opposite direction ceased.

“The UAE has temporarily suspended flights from Uganda to Dubai until further notice. Incoming Emirates flights from Dubai are still operational,” the statement read in part.

“Passengers planning to travel to Dubai are advised to contact their respective airlines for guidance on any changes in the restrictions,” the statement added.

As early as December 24th last year, flights to Dubai from Uganda had been suspended and several travelers left stranded.

In terms of countries having their flights to Dubai suspended at the time, Uganda joined Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Nigeria on a blacklist, pun unintended.

Before blacklisting Uganda, UAE authorities had raised the red-flag with regards to flights from the said African states starting 7:30 am on 25th December 2021, restricting all inbound and transiting passengers from the four African states.

This rather drastic decision on the part of the UAE arrived amid concerns over the Covid-19 Omicron variant and its rising infection numbers in the UAE at the time.

Then, in a twist of fate, UAE resumed flights from Uganda on Monday, January 10, 2022.

As of that resumption of flights, all frequent travelers with Fly Dubai Airline were duly informed by a message which was also published on the airline’s official website that flights from Uganda to Dubai were back in the frame.

“We’ve resumed our flights to Dubai and are taking all measures necessary to make sure you’re protected when you travel with us. Effective from 10 January 2022 flights from Entebbe in Uganda will resume,” the message on the website read in part.

Uganda Airlines then also announced that it would resume operations starting Saturday, January 8, 2022.

However, this reopening of transit routes came with new regulations such as passengers travelling to or through Dubai from Uganda having to present a printed copy of a valid negative COVID-19 PCR test result (displaying a QR code) from a test taken at an approved health centre.

This document was to be made available or presented to the relevant authorities not more than 48 hours prior to the scheduled departure of their inbound flight to Dubai.

Passengers were also expected to take a rapid PCR test (based on molecular diagnostic testing intended for the qualitative detection of nucleic acid for SARS-COV-2 viral RNA) at Entebbe airport (“Test & Fly Lab” only) no more than 6 hours before the departure time of the flight (the test report must display a QR code).

On top of that measure, the UAE announced that passengers from Uganda would also undergo a PCR test on arrival in Dubai and self-quarantine until a negative test result was received.