Coming soon: Clear US customs at Dubai International

January 28, 2014

Dubai_International_Airport

Dubai, Jan 28: Emirates passengers could be next in line to avail of the American pre-clearance customs procedures in the UAE following the opening of a post in Abu Dhabi last week.

Passengers began using the region’s first United States pre-clearance customs checkpoint at Abu Dhabi International on January 24. The post, manned by US customs officials, enables passengers to skip long queues on arrival in the US by clearing them for immigration prior to departing from Abu Dhabi.

“Dubai International is well-positioned to be the next port of call for US pre-clearance with three airlines, Emirates, United and Delta, soon operating services to a total of nine destinations in the United States,” an Emirates spokesperson told Gulf News in an e-mail.

A Dubai Airports spokesperson echoed that view in a separate statement.

The Abu Dhabi pre-clearance post is expected to alleviate congestion at key US airports by cutting passenger immigration processing time prior to their arrival.

Opposition

However, John Strickland, director at UK-based aviation advisory JLS Consulting, told Gulf News that the pre-clearance posts have been met with opposition by US carriers who claim it gives foreign airlines an unfair advantage.

Etihad is the only airline currently flying direct between the US and Abu Dhabi. It flies to New York, Washington DC and Chicago, and later this year will begin services to Los Angeles and Dallas.

An Etihad spokesperson told Gulf News in an e-mail that passengers travelling to Washington DC are being processed through the new immigration pre-clearance facility. Passengers on other US-bound Etihad flights are expected to be processed through the new facility in the coming days.

“Etihad Airways is pleased to support this initiative between the Governments of Abu Dhabi and the US, which will benefit air travellers who can fly from Abu Dhabi and arrive in the US as domestic passengers,” the spokesperson said.

Other locations

According to the US Customs and Border Protection website, pre-clearance checkpoints are available in 15 other locations in Ireland, the Caribbean and Canada. It states that key objectives of the checkpoints is to prevent security threats, intercept inadmissible persons and goods, protect US agriculture, facilitate entry of legitimate trade and travellers, reduce congestion at US gateway airports and foster cooperation with foreign authorities.

The Abu Dhabi government is reportedly funding 85 per cent of the costs to host the checkpoint, including salaries of US officials.

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News Network
April 5,2020

Ajman, Apr 5: A bakery worker in Ajman has been detained for spitting in the bread dough as he prepared bread at the bakery, police said.

The General Command of Ajman Police arrested the Asian worker in coordination with Ajman Municipality after investigators suggested that he intentionally spat in the dough while preparing bread at a bakery which is located in Ajman.

Lt. Col. Muhammad Mubarak Al-Ghafli, Director of Al-Jarf Al-Shamel Police Station, said a team from police had immediately gone to arrest the worker after receiving a report from the municipality confirming that the man spat in the bread dough.

Officials said a customer had filmed the Asian as he spat in the dough while preparing the bread at the bakery during the evening.

The customer then filed a complaint to the municipality with the supporting evidence of a video as the worker was doing the buzzer act.

Police said the man was taken for for psychological examination as he's being prepared to be referred to the public prosecution.

Meanwhile, the bakery has been shut down by the municipality for violating food hygiene and public health rules.

Lt. Col. Al-Ghafli has appealed to the public to report persons or any acts that could harm the health and safety of the public.

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News Network
June 17,2020

Abu Dhabi, Jun 17: The Ministry of Education (MoE) has allowed students still enrolled in universities overseas to obtain exceptions to attendance policies at their respective academic institutions in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a statement, the ministry said that the move stems from its keenness to ensure the continuity of education for those students and to maintain effective channels of communication with them.

Students' applications for exceptions to academic attendance in universities due to Covid-19 should be submitted following the end of the academic year, and not after the academic semester, via the following email: [email protected].

In their email, students have to explain the reasons for the required exceptions and should include an official message from the university concerned.

Scholarship approval issued by the Ministry of Education for studying abroad should also be attached.

The student's score reports for the academic years spent in the host countries and the duration of each academic year should also be attached, in addition to an entry and exit report of the student from the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship.

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Agencies
June 5,2020

Dubai, Jun 5: A new set of coronavirus guidelines for UAE hotels has been published by the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority.

The guidelines, released late Thursday, require all employees to be tested for Covid-19 before reopening, and to be re-tested every 15 days.

Hotels are expected to provide an infrared thermometer and thermal camera, with employee temperatures to be tested several times per working day.

Any guest or employee showing coronavirus symptoms will not be permitted to enter hotel facilities, the guidelines stress.

Hotels must also leave a 24-hour gap between guests leaving a room, and the next guests arriving.

Facilities such as restaurants, cafes, gyms, swimming pools and beaches in hotels will resume operation under a minimum capacity.

Customers must have their temperatures taken before they enter.

The working hours of restaurants and cafes will be from 6am until 9pm, allowing four people to sit at the same table with 2.5 metres left between tables. Menus must be sterilised after each use.

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