Sheffield makeup artist joins Brits rushing home from Dubai before flight ban

Amy Wilson, from Sheffield was one of the passengers travelling back before direct flights from the UAE were banned from 1pm this afternoon (Friday, January 29).

The South Yorkshire make-up artist was among social media influencers and models affected by the decision Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced at 5pm yesterday, which gave travellers just 20 hours to make arrangements to get back to the UK.

Amy said she couldn’t believe how lucky she was was to get the last flight home from Dubai before the deadline.

She tweeted: “Can’t believe how lucky me and jack have been with flights, got back from turkey 2 hours before the quarantine deadline & getting the last flight home from Dubai before the U.K. closes its boarders to the UAE.

“Someone’s looking out for me.”

The new travel ban is aimed at stopping the spread of the South African coronavirus variant and preventing further outbreaks of the virus.

A total of three flights from Dubai and two from Abu Dhabi landed at Heathrow before the 1pm curfew today which included the British Airways Flight 104 from Dubai, which touched down at 12.57pm – just minutes before the new rules came into effect.

The Gulf hubs are normally popular for people flying from Asia and Australasia to the UK on connecting flights but under the new rules, visitors from the UAE are banned from entering the UK.

British and Irish nationals and those with residence rights can still enter, but must self-isolate for 10 days at home.

The Department for Transport advised British nationals currently in the UAE to use “indirect commercial routes” to return home.

A number of influencers have visited the UAE in recent weeks despite the UK’s ban on leisure travel, insisting their trips are for work purposes.

This was criticised by Home Secretary Priti Patel, who claimed there are “still too many people coming in and out of our country each day”.

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In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a digital subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.