Customers traveling from Abu Dhabi on Etihad Airways will now receive a COVID-19 PCR test with each ticket purchase for flights to all destinations except for China. The carrier has collaborated with Life Medical Diagnostic Center for convenient UAE testing.
Today (October 1, 2020), Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the UAE, announced the inclusion of a COVID-19 PCR test with the purchase of all tickets on departure from Abu Dhabi International Airport, except on services to China. The carrier has collaborated with Life Medical Diagnostic Center (Life Dx) to offer convenient testing 48 to 96 hours of departure through their network of UAE collection facilities. In Thursday’s announcement, Etihad Aviation Group’s Vice President Medical Services, Dr. Nadia Bastaki, said,
“This is a significant development which allows Etihad to provide greater ease of travel for those departing from Abu Dhabi, by removing as much inconvenience from the PCR testing process as possible. This follows on perfectly from the recent introduction of complimentary COVID-19 insurance cover on all Etihad Airways tickets. We are confident this partnership will provide Etihad, and most importantly our guests, with Life Dx’s superior testing technologies so they can travel from the capital with greater peace of mind. This is one further step in the efforts being made by Etihad to provide a professional, secure and protected travel experience at every stage of their journey with us.”
Also commenting on today’s announcement, Life Medical Diagnostic Center’s Founder and CEO, Hosam Fouad, added,
“We are delighted to announce our strategic partnership with Etihad Airways to manage their passengers’ COVID-19 PCR testing requirements. The solution’s main concept is to ramp-up the capacity of Life Dx’s central lab for up to 40,000 tests a day through fully automated state-of-the-art robotic systems and to create a wide network of sample collection centres through partnering with selected healthcare providers across the UAE. Now passengers can book their appointments online easily at their most convenient location and time before their flight.”
Etihad guests traveling to China from Abu Dhabi will be subject to specific testing protocols and can only utilize SEHA testing facilities. A negative COVID-19 PCR test result taken within 48 hours of departure will be required for boarding. All other customers departing Abu Dhabi will require a negative PCR test within 96 hours of departure and travelers to Morocco will also require an lg antibody test. Etihad Airways is also collaborating with SEHA and Mediclinic Middle East offering departing passengers convenient fee-based PCR testing at home or at select UAE facilities.
Source: Etihad Airways