The UAE Is Working Hard To Get Off The UK’s ‘Red List’
Will the UAE come off the UK’s travel red list anytime soon?
Emirates Chairman and Chief Executive Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum had a no-holds-barred interview with CNBC at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai on Monday.
They discussed how quickly the UK will take UAE off its red list, when travel will open up to India, travel to Israel and making a profit post-COVID.
On the UK red list: Sheikh Ahmed said we (Dubai) need to prove we are top three in the world for vaccinations, we have 9.9 million people living here and have already given 12 million vaccinations out.
He added more than 150,000 UK residents live in the UAE. “I am sure they want to go back home and in the next six months we will see a big movement of traffic.” He also confirmed that an official is speaking directly to UK government to make sure, “we’re very soon off the red list”.
Red list: The Chief of the Dubai airline expressed optimism that other Western countries will soon open up, that people miss their families abroad and will want to travel
Some people took advantage of the previous travel bridge between the UK and the UAE
He added that with the previous bridge between the UK and the UAE, people took advantage of the situation, people in ‘social media’. CNCB confirmed he was speaking about social media influencers.
On profitability, Emirates confirmed it will take some time to return to profit but they are ready and waiting for the market to rebound and the airline will continue with its pre-pandemic strategy, to open in new markets, and to be there to give everyone the best service.
He finished on a positive note, remaking that Dubai is fortunate, people here keep social distance and wear masks.’The government put in very strict rules and that’s why we can live normal lives.
