UAE airlines to connect 49 destinations from next week
Emirates and Etihad Airways will resume some transit flights after the UAE lifted a suspension on services where passengers stop off in the country to change planes, or for refuelling.
The suspension was lifted late on Wednesday for UAE carriers, more than two months after the country halted all passenger flights in March as it introduced drastic measures to curb the spread of the new coronavirus.
Followingtheuaegovernment’sannouncement to lift restrictions on transit passenger services, from June 15, Emirates will offer passenger services to 16 more cities on its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. With travel restrictions remaining in place in most countries, customers are reminded to check entry and exit requirements before their journey.
The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) said on Thursday that an additional 54,000 COVID-19 tests were conducted revealing 659 new cases and bringing the total number of infections to 37,018.
The Health Ministry also revealed that the total number of recovered cases of the coronavirus has reached 19,572 with 419 cases fully recovered on Thursday after receiving treatment.
The MOHAP also announced the death of three people, who tested positive for COVID-19, due to complications. This brings the total fatalities toll to 273.
Dubai’s Emirates, one of the world’s biggest long-haul airlines, said on Thursday it would operate transit flights to 29 destinations in Asia, Europe and North America by June 15.
Etihad Airways, meanwhile, said it would carry transit passengers to 20 cities in Europe, Asia and Australia from June 10.
Throughout June, Etihad is continuing to operate a network of special flights from Abu Dhabi to previously announced destinations across its international network. Easy transfer connections via Abu Dhabi will now be available from Jakarta, Karachi, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Melbourne, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney, and Tokyo to major cities across Europe including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Brussels, Dublin, Frankfurt, Geneva, London Heathrow, Madrid, Milan, Paris Charles de Gaulle, and Zurich. Foreign citizens remain banned from entering except those holding UAE residency, who require UAE government approval before returning.
Meanwhile, the Sharjah Airport Authority (SAA) has welcomed the decision of government agencies to open airports for transit flights, indicating that this decision is a step in the right direction, and comes within the policy of progressive economic openness that the UAE has committed to.
The Pakistan government has abolished the 48-hour quarantine condition for air travellers and would instead be sent to their homes after a medical check-up and test at the airports, aviation sources said. Under the new policy, all the passengers will be checked at the health counters of the airports.
Doctors at hospitals in Pakistan are bracing for a surge of COVID-19 patients as the country’s total number of confirmed coronavirus cases surpassed the number in neighbouring China. Pakistan’s confirmed cases jumped to 85,264 after officials reported 4,688 new infections during the previous 24 hours and 82 deaths, a single-day record for virus-related fatalities.
Europe ramped up efforts to help its coronavirus-hit economies on Thursday as the UN’S chief called for a “people’s vaccine” to battle the pandemic.
With Brazil and Mexico seeing record deaths after Latin America became the new COVID-19 hotspot, UN Secretary-general Antonio Guterres said a new vaccine had to be available to everyone across the world.
“A vaccine must be seen as a global public good — a people’s vaccine, which a growing number of world leaders are calling for,” he said in a message to a virtual summit hosted by Britain that aims to raise funds for Gavi, the global vaccine alliance.
Since emerging in China late last year, the new coronavirus has infected at least 6.5 million people, killed more than 385,000 and wreaked havoc on the global economy by forcing millions to stay inside their homes.
Italy welcomed back travellers from elsewhere in Europe on Wednesday, while Austria on Thursday was set to scrap entry checks at its frontiers except for the one with Italy.
Emirates to restart transit flights to 29 cities, Etihad to 20; UAE reports 659 new cases, 419 recoveries; no more quarantine for inbound air passengers, says Pakistan; Europe boosts aid to virus-hit economies as UN seeks ‘people’s vaccine.’