Emirates and Etihad add flights to Glasgow, Manchester and London after amber upgrade

The airlines are ramping up services to destinations in the UK following the UAE's removal from the red list

Emirates and Etihad announced more direct flights from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to several destinations in the UK. Unsplash

Emirates Airline and Etihad Airways are adding more flights to the UK following the country's most recent travel announcement.

With the UAE being moved off the UK's red list and on to the amber list on August 8, Emirates and Etihad have announced more direct flights from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to several destinations in the country.

From August 11, Emirates will resume flights from Dubai to Glasgow. These are scheduled to fly four times a week to the Scottish city on Tuesdays, Wednesday, Fridays and Sundays.

Operated via a Boeing 777-200, flights will depart Dubai International Airport at 7.50am, landing in Scotland at 12.45pm. Return flights will depart Glasgow at 2.35pm and land in Dubai just after 1am. Economy fares for the eight-hour journey start from Dh1,820.

From September, Emirates plans to increase the flight frequency on its Dubai to Glasgow route to a daily service.

Adnan Kazim, Emirates chief commercial officer said: "Emirates welcomes the decision to add the UAE to the UK's 'amber list' for international travel, reflecting the extensive steps that have been taken to mitigate the spread of the virus in the UK and UAE. Since the UK's announcement, we've seen a huge surge in queries from customers desperate to travel to see their families, planning their kids' return for the new school term, as well as their postponed business or holiday travel.

The national airline of the UAE is also adding more flights to the UK following the UAE's upgraded status. From Sunday, Etihad will ramp up operations to London, flying three times a day to Heathrow from Abu Dhabi International Airport.

Flights will depart the UAE capital just before 3am, at 7.20am and at 2:30pm on a daily basis. One-way Economy fares to London start from Dh1,260.

Flights to Manchester are also resuming from Abu Dhabi on Sunday. Etihad will fly everyday to the airport in the north of England with services departing Abu Dhabi at 7:30am. One-way Economy fares for the seven and a half hour journey start from Dh1,580.

All 28 weekly services between Abu Dhabi and the UK will be operated using the airline's Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet.

No mandatory hotel quarantine for UAE travellers

Travellers flying to the UK from the UAE will no longer have to undergo expensive hotel quarantine as the UAE is to be ranked as an amber destination from Sunday. This means that passengers who have been fully vaccinated in the UK, Europe or the US can also travel quarantine free to the UK.

Anyone vaccinated in other destinations, including the UAE, or who have not received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine will have to undergo 10 days of home quarantine upon arrival in the UK. They will also have to complete PCR tests on day two and eight of their home quarantine.

All travellers, regardless of their vaccination status, must complete a passenger locator form before flying to the UK. Anyone flying with Etihad must also test negative for Covid-19 before being allowed to board a flight.

The UK is not on the Abu Dhabi Green List, so travellers flying back to the UAE capital will face quarantine on arrival.

More flights to the UK from the UAE could be announced soon with Kazim saying that Emirates is reviewing flight operation to various points in the UK.