From Friday, Britain is banning direct passenger flights to and from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), shutting down the busiest international airline route in the world from Dubai to London.

Due to concerns over the spread of a more infectious and potentially vaccine-resistant Covid-19 variant first identified in South Africa, Britain said it was adding the United Arab Emirates, Burundi, and Rwanda to its coronavirus travel ban list.

"This means that individuals who have been in or transited through these countries will be refused entry, with the exception of British, Irish, and third-country nationals with residency rights who have to separate themselves at home for 10 days," said UK Transport Minister Grant Shapps on Twitter on Thursday.  On their websites, Emirates and Etihad Airways said they would suspend all UK passenger flights from 1300 GMT on Friday when the prohibition takes effect.

From tomorrow (Friday 29 Jan at 1pm), we’re extending our travel ban with the United Arab Emirates, Burundi and Rwanda all added to the UK's red list. 1/3

— Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) January 28, 2021