Emirates customers can now plan their travels and fly with even greater assurance and peace of mind, with the airline’s latest industry-first initiative to provide expanded, multi-risk travel cover on top of its current Covid-19 cover.

Provided by Emirates at no additional cost to its customers, and provided by AIG Travel, this cover is the first of its kind in the airline and travel insurance industry. It is designed to provide all Emirates passengers a truly unique offer for stress-free and hassle-free travel.

“Emirates was the first airline to offer complimentary global COVID-19 cover for travellers back in July, and the response from our customers has been tremendously encouraging,” Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Emirates Chairman and Chief Executive, said.

“We’ve not rested on our laurels and instead continued to look at how we can offer our customers an even better proposition. We’re very pleased to be able to now provide this new multi-risk travel insurance and COVID-19 cover, which is another industry first, to all our customers.”

The new multi-risk travel insurance and COVID-19 cover will automatically apply to all Emirates tickets purchased from 1 December, and extends to Emirates codeshare flights operated by partner airlines, as long as the ticket number starts with 176.

“We see a strong appetite for travel around the world, especially heading into the winter holidays as people seek warmer climates and family destinations like Dubai. By launching this new multi-risk travel insurance and COVID-19 cover, we aim to give our customers even more confidence in making their travel plans this winter and moving into 2021,” Al Maktoum added.

Emirates customers will be covered when they fly to any destination, in any class of travel. Highlights of the coverage include:

• Out-of-Country Emergency Medical Expenses & Emergency Medical Evacuation up to $500,000, valid for Covid-19 (contracted during the trip) and other medical emergencies while traveling abroad.
• Trip Cancellation up to $7,500 for non-refundable costs if the traveler or a relative (as defined in the policy) is unable to travel because they are diagnosed with Covid-19 before the scheduled trip departure date, or for other named reasons – similar to other comprehensive travel cover products.
• Trip Cancellation or Curtailment up to $7,500 if the school year is extended due to Covid-19 beyond the departure date, and the traveler or a relative (as defined in the policy) is a full-time teacher, full-time employee, or a student at a primary or secondary school.
• Trip Curtailment up to $7,500 for non-refundable trip costs and additional costs to return to their country of residence if the traveller or a relative (as defined in the policy) falls critically ill, for instance, contracts Covid-19 while traveling abroad.
• Travel Abandonment up to $7,500 if the traveller fails a Covid-19-related test or medical screening at the airport and is required to abandon the trip.
• $150 per day per person, for up to 14 consecutive days if, while outside of their country of residence, the traveller tests positive for Covid-19, and if they are unexpectedly placed into a mandatory quarantine outside their country of residence by a governmental body.

“We have enjoyed a long-standing relationship with Emirates and we are excited to work with them to tailor this product to meet the needs of Emirates customers worldwide,” Jeff Rutledge, CEO of AIG Travel, siad.

“Our hope is to help alleviate some of the concerns travellers may have when planning travel during this time.”

Similar to other multi-risk travel insurance products, Emirates’ generous cover also has provisions for personal accidents during travel, winter sports cover, loss of personal belongings, and trip disruptions due to unexpected air space closure, travel recommendations or advisories.

Customers do not need to register or fill in any forms before they travel, and they are not obligated to utilise this cover provided by Emirates. For more information, please visit www.emirates.com/multi-risk-travel-insurance

Flexibility, assurance

Emirates’ booking policies offer customers flexibility and confidence to plan their travel.

Customers who purchase an Emirates ticket for travel on or before March 31, 2021, can enjoy generous rebooking terms and options, if they must change their travel plans.

Customers have options to change their travel dates or extend their ticket validity for two years.

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, including the distribution of complimentary hygiene kits containing masks, gloves, hand sanitiser and antibacterial wipes to all customers.

For more information on these measures and the services available on each flight, visit www.emirates.com/yoursafety.

Ten weekly flights to Maldives

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 Dubai-based airline now offers 10 flights per week to the Maldives, with a daily Dubai-Male connection, and a second service operating on Mondays, Wednesday and Sundays.

The Maldives reopened its borders on July 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 96 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.