Emirates will resume flights to Johannesburg and Cape Town from October 1 and to Durban from October 4. The schedule for those routes is still unknown, pending the SA government’s disclosure of the conditions applying to the entry of passengers from a list of different countries.
It also announced the reopening of two other African routes: Harare from October 1 and Mauritius from October 3.The twice-weekly Harare flights are linked to its Lusaka service.
The flights from Dubai to Mauritius will initially operate once a week on Saturdays, supporting the Mauritian government’s repatriation efforts.
Customers can stop over or travel to Dubai as the city has reopened for international business and leisure visitors. COVID-19 PCR tests are mandatory for all inbound and transit passengers arriving in Dubai (and the UAE), including UAE citizens, residents and tourists, irrespective of the country they are coming from.
EK passengers who require a COVID-19 PCR test certificate prior to departure from Dubai get special rates at the American Hospital and its satellite clinics across Dubai by simply presenting their ticket or boarding pass. Home or office testing is also available, with results in 48 hours.
Emirates says customers who are ticketed by September 30, for travel on or before March 30, 2021, can enjoy generous rebooking terms and options if they have to change their travel plans due to unexpected flight or travel restrictions relating to COVID-19, or when they book a Flex or Flex-plus fare.
The airline also has a policy in place to cover COVID-19-related medical expenses, free of charge, should a passenger be diagnosed with the virus during their travel while they are away from home. This is effective for passengers flying on Emirates until December 31, 2020, and is valid for 31 days from the moment they start the first sector of their journey.
This means the passengers can continue to benefit from the added assurance of this cover, even if they travel onwards to another city after arriving at their Emirates destination.
The release also mentions the distribution of complimentary hygiene kits containing masks, gloves, hand sanitiser and antibacterial wipes for all customers.
