Etihad Airways Covid Rules

What is Etihad Airways doing to ensure a safe journey during the COVID-19 pandemic?

• Travel requirements and digital travel support tools.
• Etihad Wellness programme.
• Flexible booking and COVID-19 cover.

For its efforts in ensuring the highest standards of cleanliness and sanitization, Etihad Airways was awarded, in January 2021, the Diamond status in the APEX Health Safety, powered by the SimpliFlying audit.

Travel Requirements and Digital Travel Support Tools

To make sure you stay safe when you travel, it’s really important that you inform yourself before you fly about the regulations at both your departure and arrival destination. To plan and prepare your journey, Etihad’s COVID-19 Travel Hub offers information regarding:

• Travel requirements by destination – you can find up-to-date Entry, testing, and quarantine regulations for destinations in Etihad’s network.
• Abu Dhabi travel information – you can find a handy guide of what you need to know before your flight. Information is personalized to your circumstances: traveling to or from Abu Dhabi or just transiting, UAE national or resident or tourist, vaccinated or not vaccinated.

Understanding that now there’s more to think about when traveling, Etihad offers you the digital travel support tools that make your journey easier by speeding up the airport verification process:

• Verified to Fly is available for all Etihad flights, except flights to China, and allows you to validate your travel documents through ‘Manage my booking’ and relax knowing that you met all essential COVID-19 requirements even before heading for the airport. You’ll be Verified to Fly, as long as your COVID-19 documents are in order, subject to presenting a valid passport and visa at the airport. And, when you’ve been Verified to Fly, you can download your boarding pass and fast track straight to our Verified to Fly desks at the airport to drop your bags quickly.
• IATA Travel Pass allows you to store on your phone your COVID-19 health credentials securely and speed up your check-in at the airport. The app is available on all Etihad flights between Abu Dhabi and Europe (except the United Kingdom, Russia, and Turkey) and Singapore. You can share a screenshot of your ‘OK to fly’ status as proof of your PCR test result to get Verified to Fly.

Etihad Wellness Programme

Taking extra steps to make sure you feel comfortable and protected when you travel, Etihad Airways launched Etihad Wellness, a health and hygiene programme and customer guide that highlights the stringent measures in place for healthy flying:

• At the airport, Etihad introduced several social distancing measures, and thermal screening is in operation at Abu Dhabi airport. Some Etihad lounges reopened with enhanced safety measures such as food and drinks served according to COVID-19 regulations and lounge staff wearing personal protective equipment at all times.
• In the boarding area, gate jet bridges and boarding stairs are sanitized before every flight, and you can scan your own boarding pass.
• To keep all on board protected, Etihad requires you to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test before every Etihad Airways flight. Also, you must wear a mask when you travel, both at the airport and for the duration of your flight.
• All aircraft are deep cleaned and sanitized on arrival at each destination. Also, all aircraft are equipped with HEPA air filters which capture 99% of airborne microbes and refresh cabin air every three minutes.
• On board, all cabin crew wear personal protective equipment at all times and are vaccinated against COVID-19. Wellness Kits are available for all guests and include a face mask, hand gel, and sanitizing wipes. Meals are served in line with strict COVID-19 guidelines.
• Etihad’s Wellness Ambassadors are available online 24/7, at check-in, screening, and boarding when you fly from Abu Dhabi, and on board to answer your questions and share advice on staying safe during your trip. Wellness Ambassadors also help to ensure that hygiene measures are being followed.

Flexible Booking and COVID-19 Cover

To offer more freedom and booking flexibility, Etihad allows unlimited changes on all new bookings. You can change your flight for free if you need to, and you will only have to pay the difference if there is a change to the original fare you booked. You must rebook a flight before May 31, 2022. If you cannot travel, you will be eligible for Etihad Credit.

Etihad’s COVID-19 global wellness insurance cover is included with every Etihad Airways ticket purchased for travel up to March 31, 2022. An extension to your travel insurance, the COVID-19 global wellness insurance cover gives you extra peace of mind. Etihad will take care of your medical expenses and quarantine costs if you are diagnosed with COVID-19 while on travel.