Abdul Basit
Emirates airline has announced that due to the coronavirus crisis validity of its tickets has been extended for 24 months from the date of original booking as the airline is not operating regular passengers flights because of Covid1-9 for most of the destinations.
Dubai’s flagship carrier on its website said: “You can choose to keep your ticket and we’ll extend its validity to 24 months from the date of your original booking. The fare amount you paid for your original booking will be accepted for any flight to the same destination/region at any time with no fees during this period.”
Emirates airline informed the passengers that they don’t need to call or cancel the tickets. “We’ve now extended the validity of your ticket for up to 24 months so you can just call us to reschedule your flight whenever you’re ready to travel again,” it said.
“You don’t need to do anything, we’ll keep your booking status as open and you can reschedule your flight whenever you’re ready to travel again,” said the statement posted on its website.
It said these options are available for bookings made before the May 31. Bookings made from June 1 onwards are subject to the fare conditions applicable at the time of booking.
Importantly, the airline said there are no change to fees when passenger rebook within the 24-month period.
Earlier this month, Dubai’s flagship airline Emirates resumed its special flights after suspension, with the first flight taking off from Dubai International on Monday morning and landing in Frankfurt in the afternoon.
Flights to the other two scheduled destinations – Heathrow London and Zurich – were cancelled. The flights are operating from Dubai International’s Terminal 2.
Emirates had received approvals to commence special flights from April 6 from Dubai to five European cities of London, Frankfurt, Paris, Brussels and Zurich, with four flights a week to London Heathrow, and 3 flights a week to the other cities.
Along with outbound passengers from the UAE, the flights also carried belly-hold cargo in both directions, supporting trade and communities with the transport of essential goods.
However, it was not revealed how many passengers were onboard the first flight. Thousands of passengers from different countries who wish to go back home are currently in the UAE.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group, earlier said that these initial passenger services are limited to travellers who meet the entry requirements set by the destination countries.
“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,” Sheikh Ahmed said.
