Latest: Dubai restricts travellers from South Africa and Nigeria as new strains emerge
People who have been inoculated against Covid-19 could benefit from less stringent requirements for travel in the coming months, a senior aviation official said.
While vaccination passports may not become mandatory to board a plane, those who are inoculated against the virus may be able to skip quarantine and isolation rules in different countries.
Adel Al Redha , chief operating officer for Emirates airline, said by sharing digital medical records with airlines, passengers could return to a more seamless travel experience.
I think instead of [vaccination passports being] mandatory, there will be an easing of certain criteria for people who are vaccinated
“I can’t speak on any UAE ruling, but I think instead of [vaccination passports being] mandatory, there will be an easing of certain criteria for people who are vaccinated,” he said.
“There will be less obstacles for those passengers who have taken the vaccination against those who have not.
“I think many countries have already established if you have taken the second [shot of the] vaccine, you will be allowed to enter without having to quarantine or carry a PCR test.”
In the coming months, he said countries would likely start to provide privileges or "an easing of requirements" for those who have taken the Covid-19 vaccine.
Mr Al Redha was talking to ARN radio's Dubai Eye about the recent tie up between the Dubai Health Authority and Emirates, where it will create a digital version of a traveller's Covid-19 medical records.
The records will provide passenger information on Covid-19 including testing history, infection history and eventually, vaccination records.
Once fully operational, Covid-19 health information for each passenger will be shared straight from attested DHA labs to Emirates' reservations and booking system.
“We are trying to establish a link between the Emirates systems, whether it is at reservations or check-in, with the DHA systems,” he said.
“It will automatically provide any data related to Covid-19 testing, so the passenger will not have to carry any documentation.
“It will be more accurate and reliable.”
Beyond that, for phase two, he said the airline was trying to link it to other apps, such as the Iata pass.
If this is achieved, Covid-19 health information for each passenger will be available at the final destination for border control to check.
While this is currently a DHA tie up, Mr Al Redha said it could be extended to other emirates.
“DHA will be working with the Ministry of Health and Prevention to try and link the system to all labs in the UAE.”
World's top Covid-19 compliant airlines - in pictures
PROFILE OF INVYGO
Started: 2018
Founders: Eslam Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo
Based: Dubai
Sector: Transport
Size: 9 employees
Investment: $1,275,000
Investors: Class 5 Global, Equitrust, Gulf Islamic Investments, Kairos K50 and William Zeqiri
KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN MARITIME DISPUTE
2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after nearly 30 years without an officially demarcated border. The UN establishes the Blue Line to act as the frontier.
2007: Lebanon and Cyprus define their respective exclusive economic zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration. Israel uses this to define its EEZ with Cyprus
2011: Lebanon disputes Israeli-proposed line and submits documents to UN showing different EEZ. Cyprus offers to mediate without much progress.
2018: Lebanon signs first offshore oil and gas licencing deal with consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.
2018-2019: US seeks to mediate between Israel and Lebanon to prevent clashes over oil and gas resources.
A meeting of young minds
The 3,494 entries for the 2019 Sharjah Children Biennial come from:
435 – UAE
2,000 – China
808 – United Kingdom
165 – Argentina
38 – Lebanon
16 – Saudi Arabia
16 – Bangladesh
6 – Ireland
3 – Egypt
3 – France
2 – Sudan
1 – Kuwait
1 – Australia
Greatest Royal Rumble results
John Cena pinned Triple H in a singles match
Cedric Alexander retained the WWE Cruiserweight title against Kalisto
Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt win the Raw Tag Team titles against Cesaro and Sheamus
Jeff Hardy retained the United States title against Jinder Mahal
Bludgeon Brothers retain the SmackDown Tag Team titles against the Usos
Seth Rollins retains the Intercontinental title against The Miz, Finn Balor and Samoa Joe
AJ Styles remains WWE World Heavyweight champion after he and Shinsuke Nakamura are both counted out
The Undertaker beats Rusev in a casket match
Brock Lesnar retains the WWE Universal title against Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
Braun Strowman won the 50-man Royal Rumble by eliminating Big Cass last
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3EName%3A%20Cashew%0D%3Cbr%3EStarted%3A%202020%0D%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Ibtissam%20Ouassif%20and%20Ammar%20Afif%0D%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%0D%3Cbr%3EIndustry%3A%20FinTech%0D%3Cbr%3EFunding%20size%3A%20%2410m%0D%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Mashreq%2C%20others%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
