The authorities in United Arab Emirates (UAE) have temporarily stopped Ethiopian Airlines from operating flights to the country originating from Uganda, with multiple reports suggesting that the airline failed to comply with the new travel measures, in regards to passengers from Uganda.
Ethiopian Airlines operates Entebbe-Dubai flights via Addis Ababa and passengers from Uganda are required to present negative COVID-19 certificates issued 48 hours and 6 hours to departing time.
However, this arrangement is being tested by the latest UAE restrictions because direct flights to Dubai last an average of 5 and half hours and with a layover at Addis Ababa, this means that if u test at Entebbe, you get to UAE after the 6 hours have lapsed.
Sources at the airport say Ethiopian Airlines carried nine passengers from Entebbe whose six-hour test result certificates had expired by the time they landed in Dubai on Monday, September 13. As a result, UAE directed Ethiopian Airlines to return the affected passengers to Entebbe.
Next day, the UAE authorities told Ethiopian Airlines to stop flying passengers from Uganda after failing to comply with the new measures according to sources.
Meseret Tstgay, the country manager of Ethiopian Airlines confirmed the suspension, saying, “We received the communication from UAE at midday and yet 15 passengers going to Dubai had already boarded our 2:45 pm flight for that day. So we engaged Emirates and they flew our passengers to Dubai on the same day.”
Tstgay says the airline has submitted an application for approval to the Civil Aviation Authority of UAE to resume flights.
Passengers from Uganda to UAE have the option to either fly direct non-stop or to have to test in Addis Ababa in order to comply with the new UAE travel requirements.
Going Forward, under the airline’s new winter schedules, nonstop operations on the Addis Ababa – Manchester sector has been scheduled to a 1 weekly service in Dec 2021 and Jan 2022 and services to Toronto are planned at 4x weekly in Dec 2021 and Jan 2022.
By Victor Shalton Odhiambo
