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Emirates resumes regular flights with new safety rules, free hygiene kits to all passengers
Emirates has restarted regular passenger flights from Dubai airports with new safety procedures in place for travellers.
On Thursday, the Dubai-based airline launched flights from the United Arab Emirates to nine different destinations: London Heathrow, Frankfurt, Paris, Milan, Madrid, Chicago, Toronto, Sydney and Melbourne.
“Emirates is implementing a comprehensive set of measures at every step of the traveller’s journey, to enhance the sanitisation of all touchpoints, and ensure the health and safety of our customers and employees,” chief operating officer Adel Al Redha was quoted in a statement, as saying.
“The risk of catching an infection on an aircraft is already very low, but we have spared no effort in reviewing and redesigning every step, from check-in to disembarkation. Every measure implemented is an additional reduction in risk, and taken altogether, our aim is really to make flying as safe as possible.”
Free hygiene kits at check-in
Emirates has introduced complimentary hygiene kits to be given to every passenger upon check in at Dubai International Airport and on flights to Dubai. These kits comprise of masks, gloves, antibacterial wipes and hand sanitiser.
The hygiene kits supplement a slew of additional measures already introduced to keep customers safe.
Gloves and masks are mandatory for all customers and employees at the airport in Dubai, whilst only masks are mandated on Emirates flights.
On arrival at the airport, thermal scanners at various areas monitor the temperatures of all passengers and employees.
Physical distancing indicators have been placed on the ground and at waiting areas to help travellers maintain the necessary distance at check-in, immigration, boarding and transfer areas.
The airport team has also installed protective barriers at each check-in desk and immigration counter to provide additional safety reassurance to passengers and employees during interaction over the counter.
Transit passengers
Customers travelling through Dubai International Airport and transferring onto another flight, will go through thermal screening upon disembarkation.
Transfer desks at the airport have also been installed with protective barriers as a precautionary measure.
Airport staff, dressed in personal protective equipment (PPE) will direct customers from a safe distance for extra assistance.
Customers will be given an additional hygiene kit at the gate before boarding their connecting flight.
Boarding
The boarding sequence has been staggered and passengers board by row, from the last row to the first, in small numbers.
The waiting area has also been modified to ensure all customers observe social distancing.
Emirates boarding agents, dressed in personal protective equipment (PPE), will facilitate the boarding sequence. The boarding gates are deep cleaned and disinfected after the boarding of every flight.
On board
All cabin crew on board will be fully kitted out in PPEs.
To uphold the highest standards of safety and hygiene, Emirates has added a cabin service assistant (CSA) to the crew complement on flights over 1.5 hours. The CSAs will ensure lavatories are cleaned at frequent intervals of every 45 minutes. Each lavatory has been equipped with sanitising soap and hand washing instructions.
To minimise the risk of infection by touch, magazines and print reading material will not be available during this time.
In premium classes, single use menus and wine lists will be provided to passengers. Comfort items such as mattresses, pillows, blankets, headphones and toys will be hygienically sealed. Emirates will resume its service with hot meals, using high quality, cutlery and crockery, sterilised before each use.
Cabin baggage have to be checked in, and customers can only bring essential items such as a laptop, handbag, briefcase or baby items on board. Customers are reminded to bring pens to fill out health declaration forms required for some destinations.
Emirates’ modern aircraft cabins have been fitted with advanced HEPA air filters which remove 99.97 per cent of viruses and eliminate dust, allergens and germs from cabin air for a healthier and safer on-board environment.
After its journey and on landing in Dubai, each aircraft will go through enhanced cleaning and disinfection processes to ensure safety and proper sanitation.
Emirates crew
To safeguard its employees, Emirates’ flight and cabin crew are provided with cars for pick up and drop off at their home at the beginning and end of their duty.
Operating crew check in for their rostered flights in a dedicated crew airport facility before being transported to the aircraft.
Layovers in destination cities have been reduced where possible and on long-haul flights, where layovers are necessary, crew are put up in individual rooms in hotels.
On return to Dubai, where all Emirates cabin crew are based, Covid-19 tests are done on all crew. Every crew member has been mandated a 14-day quarantine in their homes after every flight, unless they are on duty.
“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,” Al Redha said.
“All these measures, in combination with the proactive pandemic management strategies that the UAE has taken, show the seriousness with which we are taking the health and safety of our local and global communities and will give confidence to the public.”
Emirates began its service to the Maldives in May 1987 using a single Boeing 727 aircraft.
With three times daily non-stop service between Dubai and Male, Emirates has since become a major airline operating to the Maldives and a preferred airline for tourists visiting the island nation from far corners of the world, especially Europe.
However, all international airlines have suspended their operations to the Maldives after the island nation enforced a blanket suspension of on-arrival visa late March in a bid to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus.
On March 8, Maldives reported its first cases of the novel coronavirus, as two hotel employees tested positive for Covid-19 at a luxury resort in the archipelago.
Eighteen more cases — all foreigners working or staying resorts and liveaboard vessels except five Maldivians who had returned from abroad — were later identified.
A six-case cluster of locals, detected in capital Male on April 15, confirmed community transmission of the coronavirus. Several more clusters have since been identified, bringing the total number of confirmed case in the Maldives to 1,216.
Four deaths have been reported and 91 have made full recoveries.
Baros Maldives will welcome guests for its festive season from 22 December 2026 to 7 January 2027, with a programme centred on the island’s natural surroundings, Maldivian heritage and a series of culinary, marine and cultural experiences.
The programme will combine Christmas and New Year traditions with activities inspired by island life, including ocean excursions, local cultural experiences, festive dining and wellbeing sessions.
The season will begin with a Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony, followed by a series of activities introducing guests to festive traditions and Maldivian culture. These will include a Christmas cookie workshop, an Ocean, Coconut & Spice cooking class, a Maldivian Heritage Evening and an Island Christmas Market.
Marine experiences will remain a central part of the festive programme. Guests will be able to join a Sunrise Nooma sailing experience, take part in fishing trips at sunrise or twilight, explore the house reef with the resort’s marine team or join a dolphin-watching cruise.
Private yacht excursions, visits to local islands and trips to Malé will also be available for guests wishing to explore beyond the resort.
Baros Maldives will also offer a series of culinary experiences throughout the festive period. These will include a Sake Pairing Dinner, a Great Gatsby-themed five-course dinner and a Champagne Dinner inspired by the Seven Seas.
Other dining experiences will include a Butcher’s Block buffet, an Omakase tasting lunch and a Master Chef Tuna Carving Show & Tasting. Guests will also be able to take part in wine discovery experiences, cocktail-making sessions and an Island Crafted Cocktails programme.
On Christmas Eve, guests will gather at The Lighthouse for a cocktail reception before continuing to Lime for the Christmas Eve Gala Dinner.
Christmas Day will feature breakfast, festive activities and time for guests to enjoy the beach, lagoon and other island experiences with family and friends.
New Year’s Eve celebrations will begin with a cocktail reception, followed by a Gala Dinner, live entertainment and the countdown to 2027.
New Year’s Day will start with a celebratory brunch, followed by a selection of wellbeing and dining experiences. These will include a beachfront degustation dinner accompanied by live violin and saxophone performances.
Younger guests will also have a dedicated programme of festive activities, including mocktail-making, Christmas cookie workshops and island-based activities designed for families and children.
Throughout the season, Baros Maldives will host live music, marine presentations, yoga and meditation sessions alongside its wider programme of dining, recreation and ocean experiences.
The festive programme is intended to reflect the character of Baros Maldives by combining Christmas and New Year celebrations with the island’s marine environment, culinary offering and Maldivian culture.
From 21 December 2026 to 1 January 2027, Niva Kuramathi will mark the festive season with “A Tropical Festive Season”, a programme of dining, entertainment, outdoor activities and family experiences shaped around the island setting.
The programme will make use of Kuramathi’s natural surroundings, including its house reef and sandbank, alongside its 12 restaurants and seven bars.
The festivities will begin on the evening of 21 December with a Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony on the sandbank. Guests will be welcomed with drinks and live music at sunset, followed later in the evening by a traditional Bodu Beru performance.
On 28 and 29 December, the resort will host a traditional Maldivian Market, featuring Bodu Beru drumming, a folklore parade and locally made artisanal crafts.
Christmas Eve festivities
Christmas Eve celebrations will begin on the sandbank at sunset, with welcome drinks and Christmas carols. Santa Claus and his elves will also make an appearance before guests gather for a gala buffet dinner.
The evening will conclude with an outdoor screening of a classic Christmas film under the stars.
Countdown to 2027
New Year’s Eve celebrations will begin at sunset with cocktails on the sandbank.
A gala dinner will then be served across Farivalhu, Malaafaiy and Haruge restaurants before the countdown to 2027. Fireworks will mark the arrival of the New Year, while live music and DJ performances will continue at Fung Bar and Sand Bar.
Festive activities
Throughout the festive period, Niva Kuramathi will offer a programme of recreational, culinary and entertainment activities.
Guests will be able to take part in moonlit yoga sessions on the sandbank, sand sculpting, Sip & Paint evenings for couples and fire dance performances.
Sporting activities will include beach volleyball, a football match between the Niva Kuramathi team and guests, as well as kayak, pedal boat and stand-up paddleboard races.
The entertainment programme will also include wine tastings, karaoke, music trivia, live music and DJ evenings.
Cooking classes will be held at Kobe, where guests will be able to take part in sessions centred around the restaurant’s open kitchen experience.
The festive programme is designed to allow guests to participate in scheduled activities while also having the option to spend time at leisure.
The season will conclude on 1 January 2027 with a late-morning brunch and the first house reef dive of the year.
Festive programme for children
Bageecha Kids Club will host a separate festive programme for younger guests, combining recreation, creative activities and environmental learning.
Activities will include treasure hunts, splash pad games, cookie-making, arts and crafts, eco workshops, nature exploration, holiday films, karaoke, bracelet-making and gardening in the resort’s hydroponic garden.
Children will also be able to take part in scavenger hunts, mini-Olympic games, yoga and disco dancing, as well as shared lunches and dinners with other young guests.
On Christmas Eve, the programme will begin with a family photograph session, followed by gingerbread house decorating, writing letters to Santa, a palm-leaf handicraft workshop and outdoor games.
Christmas morning will feature a pyjama party with musical games and pool activities. Later in the day, families will gather at Athiri Deck to welcome Santa Claus, who will distribute gifts to children.
New Year’s Eve activities for younger guests will take place during the afternoon, with music and games around the pool followed by a children’s disco as part of the resort’s final celebrations of 2026.
Nova Maldives will renew its partnership with PADI this September to co-host Project AWARE Week from 16 to 20 September 2026.
Organised by the resort’s marine team, the programme will give guests, from first-time snorkellers to experienced divers, opportunities to combine marine wildlife observation with practical conservation activities. The initiative is intended to turn time spent in the ocean into an educational experience while encouraging greater awareness of marine conservation.
This year’s AWARE Week coincides with PADI’s 60th anniversary and Nova Maldives’ fourth year of operation in South Ari Atoll. Now in its eighth global edition, PADI AWARE Week has developed into a citizen science movement within the diving community and has helped rescue more than 41,000 entangled marine animals to date.
Through its continued participation, Nova Maldives aims to encourage guests to become ocean advocates and remain engaged with marine conservation beyond their stay.
Guests staying at Nova during AWARE Week will be able to participate in a programme designed for different levels of ocean experience. Activities will include:
- Ocean immersion and storytelling: Sessions inspired by Blue Planet and other ocean documentaries, highlighting the diversity and vulnerability of marine life.
- Dive Against Debris: Underwater clean-up dives in the resort’s lagoon, during which participants will remove plastic and other waste before recording the findings in PADI AWARE’s global database.
- Whale shark snorkelling: Guided encounters that will allow guests to swim alongside whale sharks in the open waters of South Ari Atoll.
- Manta ray and turtle-spotting excursions: Guided boat trips to feeding and nesting areas where manta rays and turtles can be observed in their natural habitats.
- Coral restoration workshops: Practical sessions introducing guests to coral planting and the resort’s ongoing reef regeneration work.
“Some of the most meaningful work happens when you show up year after year. Four years into Nova’s story, we’ve learned that the health of the reef tells us a great deal about the impact we’re making, and that the guests who choose to return aren’t just here for the view,” said Abdulla Aboobakuru, General Manager of Nova Maldives.
“They’re here because Nova reflects something they already care about, including care for the ocean, a sense of community and a more thoughtful way of experiencing the places we visit. That’s what we hope Nova can inspire in new and returning guests alike: less a destination, more a calling.”
The resort’s marine conservation work continues throughout the year. Its coral nursery contains a growing collection of metal frames holding individually secured coral fragments, which are later transplanted onto the house reef. Guests are regularly invited to participate in the planting process, while the marine team monitors the young coral colonies as they develop.
Nova Maldives also maintains partnerships with the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme and Manta Trust. The resort is accredited as a Responsible Manta Tourism Operator, with the partnerships supporting its year-round approach to marine conservation.
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