Passengers Traveling From Kolkata to Dubai Exempted From PCR Test Requirement

As per a report published by Khaleej Times, all passengers traveling on Emirates, flyDubai, Air India, and IndiGo via direct flight from Kolkata to Dubai have been exempted from the rapid PCR test requirement at the airport.

Emirates, the flagship carrier of UAE on its website for travel from India stated; ‘All cities except Kolkata’ need to have a valid negative PCR test result within 48 hours and another rapid test within six hours of departure.

Travel from India (all cities except Kolkata)

For passengers arriving from these specified countries, it is mandatory that the COVID‑19 RT‑PCR report includes a QR code linked to the original report for verification purposes.

The QR code must be presented at check in and to representatives of the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) upon arrival in Dubai airports:

Advertisement

Requirements for passengers from these countries arriving in Dubai:

A valid negative COVID‑19 PCR test certificate with a QR code for a test conducted within 48 hours, validity should be calculated from the time the sample was collected, prior to departure from an approved health facility.

A rapid COVID‑19 PCR test report with a QR code for a test conducted at the departure airport within six hours of departure.

Emirates said on its official website

While the airlines didn’t specify any particular reason for easing the rapid test norm for passengers traveling from Kolkata to Dubai, an executive at an airline said that this could be “a pilot test” for further relaxations.

While the airlines didn’t specify any particular reason for easing the rapid test norm for passengers traveling from Kolkata to Dubai, an executive at an airline said that this could be “a pilot test” for further relaxations.

Echoing similar sentiments, an Abu Dhabi-based travel agent said there is an expectation about easing PCR requirements between countries.

On February 14, India scrapped the mandatory pre-travel RT-PCR test for passengers arriving from 87 countries. The UAE has not been listed among the countries.

Earlier in the day, Indian low-cost carrier Air India Express issues a travel update for passengers traveling from the UAE to India and informed them that passengers who have taken both the doses of Covid-19 vaccines in India are exempted from taking RT-PCR tests prior to their departure to India.