Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – October 01, 2020:  From 1 October until 31 December 2020, Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, will offer PCR tests included in all air tickets booked by customers in the UAE for flights departing from Abu Dhabi International Airport, with the exception of services to China.  

The airline is collaborating with Life Medical Diagnostic Center (Life Dx) to offer convenient testing between 48 to 96 hours prior to departure, at its network of collection facilities in the UAE. Travellers flying First or Business will also have the option of selecting tests at their home. The quick and easy process can be booked directly with Life Dx. 
  
Dr. Nadia Bastaki, Etihad Aviation Group Vice President Medical Services, said: “This is a significant development which allows Etihad to provide greater ease of travel for those departing from Abu Dhabi, by removing as much inconvenience from the PCR testing process as possible. This follows on perfectly from the recent introduction of complimentary COVID-19 insurance cover on all Etihad Airways tickets. 
 
“We are confident this partnership will provide Etihad, and most importantly our guests, with Life Dx’s superior testing technologies so they can travel from the capital with greater peace of mind. This is one further step in the efforts being made by Etihad to provide a professional, secure and protected travel experience at every stage of their journey with us.” 
 
Etihad strongly advises all travellers to visit www.etihad.com/destinationguide for detailed information on country-specific PCR testing requirements, lists of applicable medical testing facilities, and entry regulations. 
 
Hosam Fouad, Founder and CEO of Life Medical Diagnostic Center, said: “We are delighted to announce our strategic partnership with Etihad Airways to manage their passengers’ COVID-19 PCR testing requirements.  
   
“The solution’s main concept is to ramp-up the capacity of Life Dx’s central lab for up to 40,000 tests a day through fully automated state-of-the-art robotic systems and to create a wide network of sample collection centres through partnering with selected healthcare providers across the UAE. Now passengers can book their appointments online easily at their most convenient location and time before their flight.” 

Travellers flying to China from Abu Dhabi are subject to specific testing protocols and can only use SEHA testing facilities. They must show a negative COVID-19 PCR test result from a government approved testing facility within 48 hours prior to departure, for approval to board.  

For all other travellers leaving the UAE from Abu Dhabi, a negative COVID-19 PCR test result will be required within 96 hours prior to departure. Those travelling to Morocco will also require an lg antibody test.  

For those who wish to book their tests separately, Etihad Airways is also collaborating with SEHA and Mediclinic Middle East, to offer departing travellers the option of convenient PCR testing, for a fee, at their home, or at selected facilities in the UAE prior to their travel.  
  
Flying to, from, and via Abu Dhabi is being greatly supported by the Etihad Wellness sanitisation and safety programme, which ensures the highest standards of hygiene are maintained at every stage of the customer journey. This includes specially trained Wellness Ambassadors, a first in the industry, who have been introduced by the airline to provide essential travel health information and care on the ground and on every flight, so guests can fly with greater ease and peace of mind.