Emirates, Etihad function out journey selections for passengers as Uk suspends flights




Emirates and Etihad Airways had a discipline day taking care of the weighty quantity of queries from stranded travellers and doing the job out option ideas for them subsequent the suspension of direct flights to the British isles.
On Thursday, the UK’s Secretary of Point out for Transport, Grant Shapps, declared a ban efficient 1pm on Friday for individuals who have been in or transited by the UAE, Burundi and Rwanda.
Emirates and Etihad Airways, the flag carriers of the UAE, ended up fast to halt operations from Friday afternoon.
“Our flights to and from the British isles are suspended until finally more see,” stated Emirates Assist, the formal client company Twitter channel for Emirates.
“We regret the inconvenience brought on, and affected consumers should contact their reserving agent or Emirates phone centre for rebooking.”
Even so, Etihad preserved that flights from the British isles were being unaffected.
“All Etihad Airways flights to the Uk are suspended until finally further more discover, on the other hand flights out of the Uk are even now working,” said Etihad Assistance, the airline’s formal guest relations Twitter account. A British national wishing to get to Dubai, can now fly to Abu Dhabi and then vacation by street to the emirate.
“Yes, as a British nationwide, you ought to be eligible for a visa on arrival which usually means you can land in Abu Dhabi. You will have to transfer to Dubai through our Etihad coach, chauffeur or by way of the airport taxi in get to stay clear of the 10 times quarantine in Abu Dhabi,” Etihad Aid tweeted in reply to a passenger’s question on travel, quarantine and visa norms for a United kingdom resident.
In the same way, a particular person can also travel from Paris to Dubai through Abu Dhabi.
“You happen to be ready to fly to Abu Dhabi if you are a UAE countrywide or resident, or if you are suitable for a visa on arrival. There is no quarantine necessary if your closing desired destination is Dubai,” Etihad Assist stated.
Transit travellers like S. Sharif, who holds a ticket from Karachi to the United kingdom through Abu Dhabi for next week, ended up confident rebooking by Etihad as and when the suspension gets revoked.
In the meantime, Emirates Support advised a passenger in search of a return from Manchester to Dubai on February 5 that it would “check out substitute route selections” for a return from the Uk though Europe to Dubai.
Each the airlines’ get in touch with centres have been dealing with large volume of cellphone calls and that’s why had a long waiting time period. They have urged travellers to get in touch with vacation agencies to rebook their tickets, if it is issued via them.
Etihad Airways in a assertion said: “If your options have been afflicted, we are going to continue to keep your ticket open up for you to guide each time you are completely ready. You you should not have to make contact with us straight absent to improve your flight.”
The new established of precautionary steps from the British isles arrive in the wake of the spread of the new coronavirus pressure that emerged in South Africa.
The UAE, meanwhile, has introduced absolutely free-of-price extension of stop by visas for British travellers impacted by the suspension of flights.