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Tag: Dubai

  • African travellers to relish A380 to Jordan through Dubai

    African travellers to relish A380 to Jordan through Dubai

    African travellers, including Nigerians, have now got the opportunity to travel from Africa through Dubai to Jordan as Emirates will be providing more options and choices for its customers with the introduction of scheduled Airbus A380 services to Amman as part of its expanded schedule of 10 weekly services. 

    The expanded flight schedule between Dubai and Amman demonstrates the airline’s commitment to safely connect customers to and through Dubai to
    Africa, America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. Emirates continues to gradually deploy the A380 in line with increased passenger demand.

    The iconic A380 will begin serving travellers to and from Amman from 4 November. The airline currently operates the A380 to Cairo, Paris, London Heathrow, Guangzhou and Moscow.

    The Emirates A380 experience is sought after amongst travellers for its spacious and comfortable cabins and the airline will continue to expand uts deployment in line with the gradual return in demand and operational approvals.

    Emirates reintroduced its signature products and services on the A380, including the iconic A380 Onboard Lounge and Shower Spa, balancing an elevated customer experience during the pandemic with measures that prioritize the health and wellbeing of passengers.

    Customers can fly the Emirates A380 from Dubai to Amman three times a week on Wednesdays, Thursday and Fridays. Emirates flight EK 903 will depart Dubai at 14:05 and arrive in Amman at 15:30 local time. The return flight, EK 904 will depart Amman at 17:10 and arrive in Dubai at 22:00 local time.

    The expanded schedule also includes flights EK 905 and EK 906. Emirates flight EK 905 will depart Dubai at 22:15 and arrive in Amman at 23:40 local time. The return flight, EK 906 will depart Amman at 01:45 and arrive in Dubai at 06:40 local time. 

    Timings have been scheduled to facilitate more effective onward connections to destinations in the United States such as well as vital connections to European points popular with Jordanian travellers.

  • FG, UAE reach agreement to end ban on Emirates Airlines

    FG, UAE reach agreement to end ban on Emirates Airlines

    The Federal Government has agreed to lift the ban placed on Emirates Airlines from operating into and out of the country based on the undertaking by the authorities of the United Arabs Emirates (UAE).

    In a statement by the Director press in the Ministry of Aviation, James Odaudu, the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika says the commencement of the airline’s operations will however depend on the commencement of visa issuance by the UAE.

    According to the statement “UAE has written to state that they agree to issue visas to Nigerians, consequently decision has been reached to allow Emirates to fly into Nigeria. Commencement of the Visa issuance is condition precedent. Please bear with this unusual situation.”

    The Minister appreciates the understanding of everyone who has been negatively affected by the recent policy decisions which forbade some airlines from operating into the country when Nigeria reopened its air space to international flights”. it adds.

    The decisions, he said were taken to protect the interests of the nation and its citizens who deserve to be treated with respect and dignity, same Nigeria treats other nationals.

    Emirates Airlines was initially given approval to operate into the country, an approval which was withdrawn following the inability of Nigerians to obtain/use valid tourist visas to enter the UAE.

  • Emirates and flydubai reactivate partnership

    Emirates and flydubai reactivate partnership

    Emirates and flydubai have announced that customers of both airlines can once again access a wider range of travel options around the world, connecting seamlessly and safely through Dubai.

    Following the progressive resumption of passenger flights to global destinations, the two Dubai-based airlines have revived their successful and strategic partnership to offer customers increased connectivity,
    convenience and travel flexibility.


     Emirates customers can now travel on codeshare flights to over 30 destinations on flydubai, while flydubai customers have over 70 destinations they can travel to on Emirates. Some of the favourite flydubai destinations for Emirates passengers include: Belgrade, Bucharest, Kyiv, Sofia and Zanzibar.

    Commenting on the renewal of the partnership, Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer said: “We are delighted to announce that our customers can once again take advantage of the complementary strengths of Emirates and flydubai to access an enhanced network of cities on a single ticket and integrated loyalty programme, enjoy a safe, smooth and stress-free transfer experience through Dubai and have their baggage checked through to their final destination.

    “The partnership has crossed a number of successful milestones since its inception in 2017 and over the coming months, Emirates and flydubai will be working together to re-open even more of the world for our customers,” added Kazim.

    Hamad Obaidalla, Chief Commercial Officer at flydubai said: “We are confident that the demand for travel will continue to increase as more countries gradually start to lift restrictions on international travel.
    FlyDubai has restarted operations to 32 points around the network since June and we expect the number to steadily grow over the next few months.
    Dubai has put strong health and safety protocols in place which has encouraged well informed passengers to travel, whether for business, leisure or to reunite with their loved ones.

    “We remain agile in our approach to maximize the utilization of our fleet by supporting government efforts to operate repatriation flights and increasing cargo-only operations. Our partnership with Emirates will continue to facilitate a more seamless flow of passengers and cargo
    across our combined networks in the recovery phase,” commented Obaidalla.

    Emirates and flydubai will offer travel experiences reflecting their individual brands while keeping the health and safety of customers and employees on the ground and in air as their top priority. 
    The two airlines have each implemented extensive safety measures to combat COVID-19 at every step of the customer’s journey including enhanced sanitization of all touch points and advanced HEPA filters fitted in aircraft cabins to eliminate dust, allergens and germs from the cabin air.

    Customers transiting through Dubai go through thermal screening at the airport. Transfer desks at Dubai airport have been fitted with protective anti-microbial screens and airport staff dressed in personal protective equipment (PPE) are available to provide additional
    assistance. Several of flydubai’s flights to destinations in Africa, Central Asia and Europe operate from Terminal 3 of Dubai International Airport, facilitating seamless connections to passengers travelling on Emirates’ flights to and from Dubai.

    COVID-19 PCR tests are mandatory for all inbound and transit customers to Dubai further assuring a safe transfer experience through the airport for customers of Emirates and flydubai.

    Customers boarding Emirates flights will also be provided with a complimentary hygiene kit containing masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and anti-bacterial wipes.

    Customers booking with Emirates can also travel with confidence as the airline has committed to cover COVID-19 related medical expenses, free of cost, should they be diagnosed with COVID-19 during their travel while they are away from home. This also includes travel on any
    codeshare flights with flydubai on an Emirates ticket.

  • Emirates boost travellers’ confidence with free medical cover, others worth over €150,000

    Emirates boost travellers’ confidence with free medical cover, others worth over €150,000

    ….World’s first airline to offer its passengers free cover for COVID-19,
    ….medical expenses and quarantine costs when they fly to any destination, in any class of travel

    Emirates customers can travel with
    confidence, as the airline will cover medical expenses of up to EUR 150,000 and quarantine costs of EUR 100 per day for 14 days, should they be diagnosed with COVID-19 during their travel, while they are away from home.

    This cover is provided by the airline, free of charge to its customers.

    HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Emirates Group Chairman and Chief
    Executive said: “Under the directive of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, Emirates is proud to lead the way in boosting confidence for international travel.”

    “We know people are yearning to fly as borders around the world gradually
    re-open, but they are seeking flexibility and assurances should something unforeseen happen during their travel”.

    He added: “Emirates has worked hard to put in place measures at every step of the customer journey to mitigate risk of infection, and we have also revamped our booking policies to offer flexibility. We are now taking it to the next level, by being the first in the industry to offer our customers free global cover for COVID-19 medical expenses and quarantine costs should they incur these costs during their travel. It is an investment on our part, but we are putting our customers first, and we believe they will welcome this Initiative”.

    First airline in the world to offer free, global cover for COVID-19 related costs

    This cover for COVID-19 related medical expenses and quarantine costs is offered by Emirates free of cost to its customers regardless of class of travel or destination.

    This cover is immediately effective for customers flying on Emirates until 31 October 2020 (first flight to be completed on or before 31 October 2020). It is valid for 31 days from the moment they fly the first sector of their journey.

    This means Emirates customers can continue to benefit from the this cover, even if they travel onwards to another city after arriving at their Emirates destination.

    Customers do not need to register or fill in any forms before they travel, and they are not obligated to utilize this cover provided by Emirates.

    Any impacted customer who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 during their travel simply has to contact a dedicated hotline to avail of assistance and cover.

    Flexibility and assurance

    With the gradual re-opening of borders over the summer, Emirates has revised its booking policies to offer customers more flexibility and confidence to plan their travel.

    Customers whose travel plans are disrupted by COVID-19 related flight or travel restrictions, can simply hold on to their ticket which will be valid for 24 months and rebook to fly at a later time; request travel vouchers to offset against future Emirates purchases, or request refunds via an online form on Emirates’ website or via their travel booking agent.

    Emirates currently serves over 60 destinations in its network, facilitating travel between the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Asia Pacific through a convenient connection in Dubai for customers across the world.

    Dubai is open:

    Customers from Emirates’ network can now to travel to Dubai as the city has re-opened for business and leisure visitors with new air travel protocols that safeguard the health and safety of
    visitors and communities.

    Health and safety first:

    Emirates has implemented a comprehensive set of measures at every step of the customer journey to ensure the safety of its customers and employees on the ground and in the air, including the distribution of complimentary hygiene kits containing masks, gloves, hand sanitiser and antibacterial wipes to all customers.

    Travel restrictions:

    Customers are reminded that travel restrictions remain in place, and travellers will only be accepted on flights if they comply with the eligibility and entry criteria requirements of their destination countries.

    Dubai residents can check the latest travel requirements at:
    www.emirates.com/returntoDubai

  • Mercy wins BBNaija with N60m prize

    Twenty-six-year-old Mercy Eke has emerged the winner of the 2019 edition of the Big Brother Naija reality TV show, which officially came to an end on Sunday, after 99 days of live entertainment.

    Mercy got over 41.77 per cent of a total of 250 million votes cast by viewers to beat fellow housemate, Mike Edwards, who got about 19.94 per cent of the votes.

    Both contestants were among the five finalists, including Frodd, Omashola and Seyi, that made it to the grand finale of the show, out of a total of 21 housemates and about five others, who were introduced to the BBN house midway into the show.

    For winning the show and emerging the first female contestant to win it  since inception, Mercy was presented with a cheque of N30m. She will also receive various gifts and incentives valued at N30m. They include an all-expense paid trip to Dubai for two, a Sport Utility Vehicle from Innoson Motors, a Scanfrost electronic makeover, one year supply of Pepsi Cola, one year supply Munch It and Indomie noodles and VIP tickets to watch the European Champions League final.