With Australia’s borders set to re-open to international travellers from November, Emirates is welcoming the move by enhancing its operations to the country to meet pent up demand for travel into and out of Australia. With vaccination rates in New South Wales having reached their target, and Victoria being not far behind, the two states will allow vaccinated travellers to return to Australia without quarantine.
In response to the easing of travel restrictions, from 2 November Emirates is stepping up the frequency on flights EK414/415 between Dubai and Sydney to daily operated by a Boeing 777-300ER. Flights to Melbourne will operate as a four-weekly service as EK408/409, with the potential to increase in line with demand.
In another positive sign that the recovery is well underway for Australia, capacity on flights to Sydney and Melbourne will return to 100%, allowing 354 passengers across all cabins to travel on its flights. Australian citizens, permanent residents and their immediate family members will be able to enjoy unrestricted travel once again to and from the two points for the first time since the pandemic began, whether travelling abroad to global destinations for leisure or finally travelling home to visit family or friends, as long as they are vaccinated against COVID-19 with a TGA-approved vaccine.
From 1 December, Emirates’ flagship A380 aircraft, will also return to the Australian skies once again, serving the Dubai-Sydney route, on a daily basis. The much-loved aircraft will offer 516 seats in a three-class configuration, with 426 seats in Economy Class, in addition to its premium cabins, with 76 and 14 seats in Business Class and First Class, respectively.
Commenting on the airline’s ramp up of operations to Australia with the easing of travel restrictions, Barry Brown, Emirates Divisional Vice President for Australasia, said: “We are extremely delighted to once again be able to extend our services to Australians, with the capacity and frequency that they deserve. Passengers will appreciate the return to normality – for vaccinated travellers wishing to go home to Australia, this will mean no more restrictions on capacity and no quarantine on arrival into New South Wales or Victoria, ultimately allowing them to see their families sooner.
“Starting November 1st, Australians will also be able to plan a holiday and travel internationally. Of course that’s good news for us as we are ready to serve those customers with access to our network spanning more than 120 destinations via our hub in Dubai, which is convenient for those considering a stopover to embrace the wonders of Expo 2020 Dubai.”
Tickets can be booked by visiting www.emirates.com or through preferred travel agents. For more details on entry requirements to Australia, pre-departure COVID-19 testing requirements and mandatory documentation, customers can check the travel requirements page on emirates.com. Customers are urged to check the applicable eligibility requirements prior to booking as they are subject to change by the Australian federal and state governments.
“We would like to thank our customers for their loyalty as we navigated the challenges together since the start of the pandemic. We are more than ever committed to Australia and it is especially exciting for us to add Sydney to the growing network of destinations served by our popular A380 aircraft. Our customers appreciate the spaciousness and amenities of the flagship A380 and starting in December they will be able to experience the exceptional product when flying to or from Sydney,” added Brown.
Passengers travelling in premium class can relax and dine before flights with complimentary lounge access in Dubai and in select destinations around the airline’s network. From 1 November, customers can also enjoy chauffeur-drive service prior to departure and on arrival in Sydney and Melbourne, in Dubai, as well as across its network, subject to availability. Emirates’ First Class and Business Class passengers flying from its other two points in Australia, Brisbane and Perth, will have access to chauffeur-drive service on departure. See locations here. Onboard, travellers can enjoy signature experiences such as the Shower Spa for passengers in First Class and Onboard Lounge for First Class and Business Class customers.
Customers of Emirates and Qantas have access to an expansive network of destinations thanks to the codeshare partnership between the two airlines. In addition to over 120 destinations that Emirates flies to, its customers have access to over 55 Australian destinations though the partnership, while Qantas customers are able to fly on Emirates to Dubai and access over 50 cities in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.
Emirates continues to operate to Brisbane and Perth with government–mandated capacity restrictions in place, requiring all passengers to undergo a 14-day mandatory quarantine until travel restrictions are relaxed in Queensland and Western Australia.
Emirates remains focused on taking the stress out of travel, and has led the industry in protecting the health of its customers to ensure a feeling of safety and confidence when deciding to fly. Emirates customers travel with the assurance that the latest health and safety measures are in place at every step of the journey. The airline has also recently introduced contactless technology to ease customers through Dubai airport.
Emirates continues to lead the industry with innovative products and services that address traveller needs during a dynamic time. The airline has taken its customer care initiatives further with even more generous and flexible booking policies, an extension of its multi-risk insurance cover, and helping loyal customers retain their miles and tier status.
Customers are encouraged to check their latest government travel guidelines and ensure they meet the travel requirements of their final destination. For more information on entry requirements for international visitors and residents returning to Dubai visit https://www.emirates.com/english/help/covid-19/dubai-travel-requirements/
Press release from Emirates
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