Emirates has sent out communications to agents to let them know some important points about passengers transiting through Dubai.

According to the airline, travellers transiting through Dubai MUST have a negative COVID-19 test certificate issued within 72 hours before departure. From Monday August 9, this certificate must have been issued by a laboratory that uses a QR code system, and no others will be accepted. The airline lists the following laboratories in South Africa as approved, see link here

· Ampath – (https://www.ampath.co.za )

· APS – Atter Pathology Service (https://www.atter.co.za )

· Pathcare – (www.pathcare.co.za )

· Lancet (http://www.lancet.co.za )

Also important to note is that no transit over 10 hours will be allowed through Dubai International Airport. No STPC (stopover for the pupose of connection) will be offered to passengers while transiting through Dubai International Airport.

The airline advises early check-in for all three airports, Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban, as the various entry regulations and COVID-19 test requirement checks are mandatory before flight departure. In order to ensure that these necessary extensive document checks, which vary from destination to destination, are completed in time, EK’s check-in counters at all three airports will open for check-in four hours prior to departure and will close 60 minutes prior to departure.

Emirates says it is currently not permitted to issue any online or mobile boarding passes. A physical boarding pass will only be issued after the necessary coronavirus-related and other compulsory entry documents have been checked at the check-in counters.