Dubai based Emirates Airline has confirmed which routes will be resuming with a limited passenger service after initially beng suspended last month due ot the ongoing spread of coronavirus COVID-19. Earlier the airline announced that it had received approval from UAE authorities to start flying again from 6 April and has stated that initial flights will resume from Dubai to London Heathrow, Brussels, Frankfurt, Paris and Zurich. Emirates will operate 4 flights a week to London Heathrow and 3 flights a week to the other four destinations.
All flights will operate from Dubai International Airport (DXB) Terminal 2 and will only carry passengers outbound to these destinations, however the aircraft will also carry cargo in both directions.
His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of 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."
The routes will be served by Boeing 777-300ER aircraft with economy and business class available class, however as travel restrictions are in place at these destinations, passengers are advised to check if they are eligible to fly before they book.
The in-flight service will be slightly modified, where magazines and other printed material will not be available, and though food and beverage will be offered, how it will served will be modified to limit contact.
After each journey and upon returning to Dubai, all aircraft will undergo enhanced cleaning and disinfection.