Searches for flights from the UAE to the UK increased 110 percent after the Middle East hub was removed from the country’s controversial red list, according to a leading travel industry expert.
The UAE was placed on the UK’s amber list earlier this month after 188 days languishing on its red list.
Mamoun Hmedan, managing director, MENA and India, Wego, told Arabian Business the biggest spike in searches was witnessed on August 4 and 5, the day that UK Transport Secretary finally brought an end to costly quarantine-enforced travel for passengers flying in from the UAE.
He said: “We also saw a remarkable growth in the family trip searches with around 255 percent. This shows that the flights are mostly family trips at the moment, followed by couples with 95 percent increase and solos with 91 percent.
“It’s also evident that, since the announcement, not only people are wishing to travel from the UAE to the UK but we see a great demand from UK to the UAE as well.”
Under the easing of restrictions, all fully vaccinated travellers from the US and European Union can avoid isolation on arrival into the UK if they have one of four approved vaccines, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Pfizer and or the Johnson & Johnson Janssen vaccine. It remains unclear when fully-vaccinated travellers from the UAE would qualify for this exemption.
Mamoun Hmedan, managing director, MENA and India, Wego.
Instead those who are not vaccinated, or have received doses of other manufacturers’ vaccines (such as Sinopharm currently), must self-isolate for 10 days but this can be done at home, with friends or at a hotel. That period can be shortened if they pay for an extra test on day five.
Dubai-based Emirates revealed last week that it was planning to its services to 73 weekly flights to the UK, including a six times a day London Heathrow operation; double daily A380 flights to Manchester, 10 weekly services to Birmingham and daily services to Glasgow.
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