Are you flying home to the Philippines? Make sure you’re informed about the necessary details that entail going home with these steps:
Know flight fares
Recently, major airlines such as Etihad, Emirates Airline, and Philippine Airlines have resumed select operations to serve expats returning to their home countries, as well as UAE residents wishing to come back to the UAE. Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who wish to go home, or residents who wish to return to the UAE, must take note of the fares so they can plan ahead should they decide to book flights.
Etihad Airways, the UAE’s flag carrier, has scheduled a flight for Filipinos who wish to head back home from the country’s capital – Abu Dhabi. The official ticket booking platform of the said airline shows that tickets for its one-way flight scheduled on Friday, June 5 start from Dhs4,259 (Php58,543) for economy, while it costs Dhs11,527 (Php158,448) for business flights.
Emirates Airline, meanwhile, announced two planned Manila to Dubai flights on June 5 and 6. Its flight on June 5 costs around Dhs 2284.57 (Php31,403) while the flight that leaves June 6 costs Dhs 2159.69 (Php29,686)
Filipinos holding valid UAE resident visas can also now book their tickets from Manila to Dubai through Philippine Airlines (PAL) at a Dhs1731.06 (Php23,794) price point for a one-way ticket this coming June 16. Business class seats, meanwhile, will cost around Dhs2135 (Php29,347).
Cebu Pacific, the largest Philippine national carrier, is yet to announce flight fares and resumption of operations.
Undergo a mandatory quarantine
All Filipinos—whether OFWs or not—are required to undergo a mandatory test for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as well as a 14-day quarantine. No one will be exempted.
Make sure your passport and visa are valid
If you wish to come back to the UAE, make sure that your passport and visa are valid at the date of your return. It will be harder to renew particularly your visa in the Philippines, so make sure everything is settled before you even fly home.
In addition, authorities in the UAE remind UAE resident visa holders that they need to secure a permit titled ‘Residents Entry Permit’ before the resident will be allowed entry to the country.
Non-work inter-province travels need permits
Planning domestic travels once you get home? Think twice before you actually do it because non-work travels need passes under the general community quarantine regulations. Interior Secretary Eduardo Año reminds the public that there will be a strict implementation of quarantine rules, particularly in checkpoints in the boundaries of provinces outside Metro Manila.
