The busiest London-Dubai air route hit by Covid restrictions

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(CNN) – A new travel ban imposed by the United Kingdom restricts access from the United Arab Emirates and other destinations in an effort to prevent Covid’s release likely to affect what has come as the United Kingdom. world’s busiest airway.

The UK on Friday imposed the new restrictions as they tightened quarantine measures in a bid to reduce the worst rate of the virus in Europe. Covid ‘s deaths this week exceeded the 100,000 threshold in the UK.

UK transport minister Grant Shapps announced on Thursday that the UAE, Burundi and Rwanda were being added to a “red list” of countries seen as high risk for travel due to rising Covid cases.

“This means that people who have been or have moved through these countries will not be refused entry, except British, Irish and third-country nationals with residency rights who must separate themselves for 10 days at home, “he said.

It comes after the UK announced a new policy on emergency hotel quarantine for travelers from 30 countries on Wednesday. However, Shapps stressed that British, Irish and third-country nationals with residency rights from the United Arab Emirates, Burundi and Rwanda did not have to separate at home and not in a hotel.

Passengers still need to provide confirmation of a negative coronavirus test and complete a passenger locator form. Failure to do so will result in a fine of £ 500 (approximately $ 680) for each offense, Shapps warned.

Various traces

These new travel bans follow “the discovery of a variety of new coronavirus first identified in South Africa, which may have spread to other countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Burundi and Rwanda, “said a statement from the UK Department for Transport.

The restrictions imposed on people entering the UAE are likely to affect air traffic between London Heathrow and Dubai International airports, a route that is due to covid restrictions elsewhere in the world. the world, has emerged as the busiest in the world.

The OAG travel data analyst says the route accounted for 190,365 seats in January 2021, making it the highest-performing international route. The next busiest was Cairo and Jeddah, in Saudi Arabia, with 154,337.

UAE carrier Emirates has been offering several daily flights between London and Dubai.

Dubai’s huge popularity with UK visitors in recent months has been due to it being one of the few winter solar tourist destinations open to British travelers they have seen needing quarantine when they return.

However, a recent UK closure banning Brits from embarking on international leisure travel has also cut the majority of overseas trips.

Dubai is one of the few destinations in the world that is open to all visitors, as long as they meet Covid’s testing requirements.

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