Dubai Airports sees brighter aviation outlook as travel rules ease

Dubai Airports sees brighter aviation outlook as travel rules ease

More countries to drop PCR test requirements in coming weeks, says Dubai Airports CEO

Dubai International airport reported 12.7 per cent surge in annual passenger traffic to 29.1 million in 2021. — Supplied photo

Published: Tue 22 Feb 2022, 6:55 PM

More countries will drop Covid-19 PCR testing rules and give way to vaccination certificates in the coming weeks, brightening the outlook for the aviation sector, said Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports.

Griffiths’ comments came on Tuesday after Dubai International (DXB) airport reported 12.7 per cent surge in annual passenger traffic to 29.1 million in 2021 with India, retaining its position as the world’s busiest international airport for the eighth consecutive year.

A number of countries have eased Covid-19 rules and some of them dropped PCR test requirements also for vaccinated travellers including Bahrain, Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey, Croatia, France, the UK, Switzerland and others.

In a major announcement made on Tuesday, the UAE airlines also eased restrictions for travellers from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, no longer requiring them to take pre-departure Covid test at the airport which will, according to travel industry executives, substantially boost travel sector in the UAE.

“I do expect across the world, the testing regime for travel will start to