Featured
Emirates returns $1.4 bln to customers in refunds
Emirates reveals that is has returned over AED 5 billion ($1.4 billion) in Covid-19 related travel refunds to date, making strong and steady progress on its commitment to customers to complete pending refunds.
More than 1.4 million refunds requests have been completed since March, representing 90 per cent of the airline’s backlog. This includes all requests received from customers around the world up until the end of June, save for a few cases which require further manual review.
Since the pandemic hit, Emirates has invested additional resources to ramp up its processing capability.
The airline also continues to work with industry partners to facilitate refunds for those who have booked their Emirates flights through travel agents; this includes enabling direct refunds processing via global booking systems (GDS).
“We understand that from our customers’ standpoint, each pending refund request is one too many. We are committed to honouring refunds and are trying our utmost to clear the massive and unprecedented backlog that was caused by the pandemic,” Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline, said.
“Most cases are straightforward, and these we will process quickly. But there are cases which will take a bit more time for our customer teams to manually review and complete. We are grateful to our customers for their patience and understanding.”
As global travel markets slowly reopen, Emirates has gradually restarted its passenger operations around the world, always ensuring that it provides customers with a safe and smooth travel experience.
The airline has introduced a series of industry-leading initiatives to provide customers with additional reassurance and confidence when they travel – from bio-safety measures at every step of their journey, to free Covid-19 medical cover, and flexible booking policies.
Emirates currently offers flights to over 80 cities. Customers can stop over or travel to Dubai as the city has reopened for international business and leisure visitors. Ensuring the safety of travellers, visitors, and the community, Covid-19 PCR tests are mandatory for all inbound and transit passengers arriving to Dubai (and the UAE), including UAE citizens, residents and tourists, irrespective of the country they are coming from.
Flexibility and assurance
Emirates’ booking policies offer customers flexibility and confidence to plan their travel.
Customers who purchase an Emirates ticket by September 30 for travel on or before November 30, can enjoy generous rebooking terms and options, if they have to change their travel plans due to unexpected flight or travel restrictions relating to Covid-19, or when they book a Flex or Flex plus fare.
Free, global Covid-19 cover
Customers can now travel with confidence, as Emirates 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 cover is immediately effective for customers flying on Emirates until October 31 (first flight to be completed on or before October 31), and 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 added assurance of this cover, even if they travel onwards to another city after arriving at their Emirates destination.
Health and safety
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.
The measures include the distribution of complimentary hygiene kits containing masks, gloves, hand sanitiser and antibacterial wipes to all customers.
Six flights per week to Maldives
The Dubai-based airline has recently increased its services to the Maldives from five a week to six times a week to meet customer demand.
Emirates, which runs the world’s biggest airline by international traffic, resumed services to the Maldives on July 16 after a three-month hiatus in the wake of border closures by the Maldivian authorities to control the coronavirus outbreak.
The Maldives reopened its borders on July 15.
Resorts and hotels on uninhabited islands as well as liveaboard vessels were allowed to host tourists (please see a rolling list of resort reopenings here).
Guesthouses and hotels located on inhabited islands were to be allowed to reopen on August 1 but a surge in coronavirus cases in capital Male forced the authorities to extend a ban on guesthouse operations until October 15.
With the border reopening, 30-day free on-arrival visa is issued to all tourists with a confirmed booking for a stay at any registered tourist facility in the country.
There is no mandatory quarantine or testing on arrival, but tourists have to complete an online health declaration form and provide a negative PCR test result taken at least 72 hours prior to their departure.
Visitors with symptoms of the Covid-19 respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus or those travelling with someone who has similar symptoms are also tested at their own expense.
Featured
Four Seasons Resorts Maldives blend family travel with marine discovery
As family travel patterns continue to evolve, with multigenerational holidays and “schoolcations” becoming a growing part of the market, Four Seasons is positioning its Maldives resorts as destinations where families can combine leisure with learning, exploration and shared experiences. Through programmes at Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru and Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa, the brand is offering a Maldives-based approach to family travel that extends beyond the traditional resort stay.
In the Maldives, the focus is placed on experiences that allow families to spend time together while engaging with the natural environment in direct and practical ways. At Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru, marine education forms a central part of the family offering. Children and teenagers can take part in hands-on initiatives alongside experts from The Manta Trust, learning about coral restoration, manta ray research and ocean conservation. The programme gives younger guests an opportunity to understand the marine ecosystems that define the Maldives while participating in activities linked to ongoing conservation work.
At Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa, the family experience is also shaped by the surrounding lagoon and reef environment. Younger guests can take part in introductory diving, surfing and marine conservation activities designed to build early awareness of the ocean and its ecosystems. These experiences place the Maldives’ natural setting at the centre of the stay, allowing families to engage with the destination through activity as well as observation.
This emphasis on learning through travel reflects wider changes in family tourism, where parents are increasingly looking for holidays that combine recreation with educational value. In the Maldives, that approach has particular relevance, given the country’s dependence on marine ecosystems and its reputation as one of the world’s leading island destinations. By integrating conservation-focused experiences into resort programming, Four Seasons is presenting family travel not only as a period of rest, but also as an opportunity for younger travellers to develop a closer understanding of the environment around them.
The Maldives setting also supports multigenerational travel in practical terms. Resorts such as Landaa Giraavaru and Kuda Huraa are well suited to families travelling across age groups, where grandparents, parents and children may all be sharing the same holiday but looking for different forms of engagement. Accommodation, marine activities and wellness offerings can be structured in ways that allow families to spend time together while also catering to different interests and energy levels.
The family proposition is strengthened by the Maldives’ ability to combine relaxation with activities that are tied closely to place. Lagoon-based discovery, reef experiences and conservation work provide a clear alternative to more conventional beach holiday programming. Rather than limiting the stay to accommodation and dining, these activities allow the destination itself to shape the guest experience.
In this context, Four Seasons’ Maldives resorts reflect a broader shift in how luxury family travel is being positioned. The emphasis is no longer only on privacy and comfort, but also on engagement, shared discovery and experiences that carry value beyond the holiday itself. In the Maldives, where marine life and island environments remain central to the visitor experience, that model gives families a way to connect both with each other and with the destination.
Through Landaa Giraavaru and Kuda Huraa, Four Seasons is therefore presenting a Maldives offering that responds to changing family travel expectations. By combining marine education, outdoor activity and resort-based comfort, the brand is aligning its family travel strategy with the qualities that continue to set the Maldives apart. The result is a version of family travel that is shaped not only by where guests stay, but by what they are able to learn and experience together while they are there.
Drink
Sirru Fen Fushi hosts Flor de Caña mixology event with Dinesh Mondkar
The Behind The Bar Sirru Icon series recently hosted a mixology event at Sirru Fen Fushi Private Lagoon Resort, featuring Dinesh Mondkar, Flor de Caña’s brand ambassador for India.
The event gave guests an opportunity to explore a selection of rum cocktails while learning more about the craftsmanship and heritage behind the Flor de Caña brand. Set against a sunset backdrop over the ocean, the session combined cocktail-making techniques, brand storytelling and a relaxed island setting.
Guests were introduced to a range of cocktails that highlighted bold flavours and the versatility of rum in contemporary mixology. The evening also offered insight into the methods and presentation behind premium cocktail service, adding an interactive element to the experience.
The event formed part of the resort’s ongoing Behind The Bar Sirru Icon series, which continues to bring recognised figures from the international spirits industry to the Maldives. Through the series, the resort aims to expand its food and beverage offering with curated events that connect guests with global brands and industry expertise.
Such experiences are designed to complement the wider guest programme by combining destination dining and beverage concepts with the setting of the Maldives, while offering visitors a more immersive way to engage with the resort’s hospitality offerings.
Featured
Angsana Velavaru marks reopening of upgraded futsal ground
Angsana Velavaru has reopened its futsal facility as part of efforts to enhance guest experiences and staff engagement through sport and community activities.
The reopening ceremony was officiated by Dhaalu Atoll Council president Ahmed Shafiu and the resort’s general manager, Ahmed Zahir, who jointly cut the ribbon to mark the occasion.
Located within the island grounds, the futsal court measures 57 metres by 38 metres and is intended to serve as a space for both recreational use and organised activities for guests and resort associates.
The resort said the facility would form part of its wider recreational offering and would host workshops and expert-led collaborations aimed at providing guests with sports-based experiences while also supporting skill development and interaction. It added that the initiative also reflects its focus on staff wellbeing, teamwork and active living.
The opening event included friendly matches between the Angsana Velavaru men’s and women’s teams, as well as an inter-resort match between the Angsana Velavaru Orange Army and Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru.
Adjacent to the futsal court is the resort’s upgraded watersports centre, which now includes updated guest facilities such as shower and changing areas.
Ahmed Zahir said the reopening of the futsal ground represented more than a recreational upgrade and reflected the resort’s commitment to creating meaningful experiences for both guests and associates. He said the facility would support active living, connection and wellbeing, while also serving as a space for learning and collaboration.
Angsana Velavaru, located in South Nilandhe Atoll, said the reopening of the futsal facility forms part of its wider efforts to expand its lifestyle and community-focused offerings.
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