Emirates to cover fliers’ Covid-19 costs

Emirates, the largest airline in the Middle East, will cover customers' Covid-19 related medical costs to "boost travel confidence."

Passengers can claim medical expenses of up to €150,000 and quarantine costs of €100 per day for 14 days if they are diagnosed with Covid-19 during their travels, the airline said.

The carrier will cover the passengers' Covid-19 costs free of charge when they travel with Emirates, to and from the UAE and around the world, reads a media statement.

Revamping its booking policy, Emirates has allowed greater flexibility for Covid-19 related issues, Emirates Group Chairman and Chief Executive Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said.

Covering passengers' Covid-related expenses is "taking it to the next level. It is an investment on our part, but we are putting our customers first," he said. 

The Covid-19 related medical expenses and quarantine costs are being offered regardless of class of travel or destination, the Dubai-based carrier said.

The policy will go into immediate effect and remain in place until October 31, 2020. 

"This means Emirates customers 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 airline said.

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

Any impacted customer who has been diagnosed with Covid-19 during their travels must contact a dedicated hotline to get assistance and cover. 

Passengers travelling from Bangladesh will need to have a Covid-19 negative certificate from the government-approved hospitals or diagnostic centres to travel with Emirates. 

The sample will have to be given within 72 hours before departure of the flight. 

Emirates currently serves over 60 destinations in its network. 

The airline – presently operating four flights a week from Dhaka and via Dubai – offers convenient connections to cities in its network across Europe, the Americas, Asia Pacific, and Africa. 

Before the pandemic hit, Emirates employed around 60,000 staff, including 4,300 pilots and nearly 22,000 cabin crew, according to its annual report.

The airline had reported a 21 percent rise in annual profits in March.