EK flights but with heightened safety rules

Emirates has restarted regular passenger flights to 9 international destinations from Dubai airports with new safety procedures in place for travellers. The airline started scheduled flights from the UAE to Europe, the US, Canada and Australia from Thursday, May 21.

All passengers are given free hygiene kits upon check-in. The kit includes face masks, gloves, antibacterial wipes and hand sanitiser.

The gloves and masks must be worn at the airport and the face masks are also compulsory on all Emirates flights.

At Dubai Airport, thermal temperature scanning is in place and protective barriers have been installed at each check-in desk and immigration counter to provide additional safety reassurance to passengers and employees.

Emirates will fly to Chicago, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Melbourne, Milan, Paris, Sydney and Toronto, with flights scheduled on these routes until June 30.

Online check-in for all flights remain suspended. This allows Emirates team members to assign seats based on social distancing measures where possible. Families that are travelling together can request to sit as a group when checking in.

Emirates has amended its boarding procedures, and passengers will now enter the aircraft by exact row rather than zone, from the back of the plane to the front. Emirates boarding agents dressed in full personal protective equipment will be on hand to assist with this and all waiting areas have been amended to allow for social distancing.

Travellers who are set to transit through the airport onto another flight will have to go through thermal screening upon disembarkation. They will then be given new hygiene kits at the gate before boarding a connecting flight.

In-flight safety measures

An additional crew member has been added to all Emirates flights that have a flying time of more than 90 minutes. This person, the cabin services assistant, will be responsible for sanitation of lavatories which will now be cleaned every 45 minutes.

Cabin baggage remains restricted to essential items such as a laptop, handbag, briefcase or baby items for on board.

In business and economy class, Emirates will resume its service with hot meals, using cutlery and crockery, sterilised before each use. Premium passengers will be given single-use menus, and items such as mattresses, pillows, blankets, headphones and toys will be hygienically sealed before use.

The airline recommends that travellers carry their own pen with them to fill out Health Declaration Forms required at some destinations.

"We are working with all the stakeholders in Dubai – including the airport, immigration, health and aviation authorities to implement such measures, and we will continue to review and consult expert advice for any development and changes. We are all aware that we have to adapt to different practices during this pandemic in our day to day activities," said Adel Al Redha, Emirates' chief operating officer.