This was published 3 years ago
Emirates to resume flights to Sydney and Melbourne from May 21
By Craig Platt
Emirates flight attendants will wear personal protective equipment on board planes.
The world's biggest long-haul airline, Emirates, will restart flights to Australia next Thursday.
From May 21, the airline will resume flights from Dubai to Sydney and Melbourne, along with London Heathrow, Frankfurt, Paris, Milan, Madrid, Chicago and Toronto.
Australian passengers will be able to connect through Dubai to other international destinations, including the UK.
Check-in desks at Dubai Airport now feature protective screens.
The airline will operate three flights a week on the Melbourne and Sydney routes. It warned that passengers would only be accepted on flights if they comply with eligibility and entry criteria requirements of their destination countries.
Al Redha, Emirates' Chief Operating Officer said Emirates was working closely with authorities to resume flights to additional destinations.
"We have implemented additional measures at the (Dubai) airport in coordination with the relevant authorities in respect to social distancing and sanitisation," he said. "The safety and wellbeing of our employees, customers and communities, remain our top priority."
Passengers and staff will be required to wear masks and gloves.
Passengers will have their temperatures checked at Dubai airport and protective barriers have been installed at check-in counters. Gloves and masks are mandatory for passengers and employees, while cabin crew and ground staff will wear protective equipment.
Social distancing rules will be in place at the airport including indicators to ensure passengers remain a safe distance apart while waiting.
The airline last month touted a rapid pre-flight coronavirus test, claiming it could provide passengers with a result in just 10 minutes.
Emirates suspended flights to Australia on March 25 in the wake of the downturn in international travel due to COVID-19. Some international flights resumed on April 6.
The announcement comes as rival Etihad resumed flights from Australia to London via Abu Dhabi on Friday. The airline is flying from Melbourne to Heathrow and will resume the return leg on May 21.
The Australian border remains closed with the exception of Australian citizens and permanent residents, immediate family, or New Zealand citizens normally resident in Australia.
Anyone entering Australia is still required to go into a mandatory quarantine for two weeks at a hotel.
The UK announced on Sunday that all visitors would now be required to self-isolate for two weeks and to fill out a form declaring where they would stay during their visit. Breaches could result in fines of £1000 ($A1901)
The suspension of Etihad and Emirates flights in March left Qatar Airways as the only carrier from the region continuing to fly to Australia. Qatar actually increased flights to Australia during this period and added a new route, Doha to Brisbane, citing demand from Australian citizens seeking to return home. After receiving short-term approval to fly the Brisbane route from late March to early April, Qatar announced this week it would resume Doha-Brisbane flights on May 20. The airline plans to have about half its network operating again by the end of June, as travel restrictions ease around the globe.
See also: Why Qantas passengers shouldn't be fooled by Joyce's $19 airfares
See also: When will we be able to visit our 10 favourite overseas destinations?
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