COVID-19: Temporary flights to evacuate people to their home countries from UAE

Dubai: Emirates airlines has received approval to carry passengers on certain flights. Effective Monday April 6, initial flights will commence from Dubai to London Heathrow, Frankfurt, Paris, Brussels and Zurich, with 4 flights a week to London Heathrow, and 3 flights a week to the other cities.

Operating from Dubai International airport Terminal 2 until further notice, these flights will only carry outbound passengers from the UAE. Emirates will also carry belly-hold cargo in both directions, supporting trade and communities with the transport of essential goods.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates airline and Group said: “These initial passenger services, although limited to travellers who meet the entry requirements set by the destination countries, will be welcomed by our customers seeking to return home to their countries and families. We would like to thank the UAE government and all our partners for their support in ensuring the smooth operation of our flights.

“While we hope to resume full operations as soon as possible, we acknowledge the challenges faced by many cities in dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak. Our network can only be restored with the easing of travel restrictions, and we maintain close contact with all authorities for latest updates. We are working closely with the authorities to resume our services, keeping in mind the safety and wellbeing of our crew and customers at every step of the journey. We continuously review the situation and will announce any additional services as they become available.”

Emirates will operate its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft on these routes, offering seats in Business and Economy class. Flights can be booked by eligible passengers. Travel restrictions are in place at these destinations, and travellers are urged to check the Emirates website before they fly.

For health and safety reasons, Emirates will operate a modified inflight service programme on these flights. Magazines and other print reading material will not be available, and while food and beverages will continue to be offered on board, packaging and presentation will be modified to reduce contact during meal service.

Emirates’ Lounge and Chauffeur Drive services will be temporarily unavailable during this period.

Emirates aircraft will go through enhanced cleaning and disinfection processes in Dubai, after each journey, the statement said.

The General Civil Aviation Authority said the decision to suspend all inbound and outbound passenger flights and the transit of airline passengers in the UAE is still in effect as part of the precautionary measures taken to curb the spread of COVID-19.

In a statement on Thursday, the GCAA said only passenger flights carrying UAE residents and visitors wishing to return back to their respective home countries have been temporarily allowed after ensuring all relevant precautionary measures required by the Ministry of Health and Prevention have been taken.