Dubai based Emirates will return to Tehran, Guangzhou, Addis Ababa and Oslo by this time next month. This will increase the airlines’ route network up to 62 destinations across the Middle East, Asia Pacific, Africa, and Europe.
What are the details of the announcement?
Emirates is slowly returning to full service, with the next step including several resumed routes. The carrier will be flying from Dubai to:
- Tehran from 17 July
- Guangzhou from 25 July
- Addis Ababa from 1 August
- Oslo from 4 August
All of the routes will be operated by a Boeing 777-300ER. Onboard, passengers are provided complimentary hygiene kits containing masks, gloves, hand sanitiser and antibacterial wipes. Passengers flying on these resumed routes will need to fill out a health declaration before departure.
While it is nice to see travel resumed on this carrier to these destinations, passengers need to keep in mind that health restrictions still apply to some countries. Some borders are still closed to anyone but those that have the right to live there and you may need to have a virus test before travelling.
The airline, however, understands that travel during this time is a little ‘risky’ and thus offers a fantastic 24-month ticket waiver. You can pause your travel and rebook another time if health conditions change.
“With the gradual re-opening of borders over the summer, Emirates has revised its booking policies to offer customers more flexibility and confidence to plan their travel. Customers whose travel plans are disrupted by COVID-19 related flight or travel restrictions can simply hold on to their ticket which will be valid for 24 months and rebook to fly at a later time;” said Emirates on its website.
What about travel to Dubai?
Dubai itself is reopening to tourist arrivals this month, with passengers allowed to disembark and cross into the country. However, like those health restrictions mentioned above, Dubai has its own specific conditions in place:
- Each passenger arriving at Dubai needs to have their own health insurance before walking through immigration. Proof of their coverage (within Dubai and the UAE) is needed as evidence.
- Dubai has a contract tracing app that passengers will need to download and install before they enter.
- Passengers require a coronavirus test four days before departure (96 hours). However, if you do not have a test result upon arrival in Dubai, you will need to take one and wait before entering the country.
- Any landed passengers in Dubai who have a positive result on the test will need to undergo 14-day isolation at a hotel at their own expense.
Emirates is slowly returning to service
It is great to see that a massive carrier like Emirates slowly returning to the skies and relink its route network beyond just flagship hub destinations (like London). This means lower prices for passengers, who now have more options and more opportunity to fly around the world and reunite with loved ones.
