Dubai-owned state carrier Emirates reversed its decision to suspend all passenger flights, shortly after it said it would completely halt operations from March 25, amid the novel coronavirus outbreak. The airline said it "received requests from governments and customers to support the repatriation of travellers", and will continue to operate passenger flights to 13 destinations, down from its usual 159.
In light of the coronavirus, it had earlier taken that decision to suspend all passenger flights. Emirates Chairman and CEO Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum had earlier said: “The world has literally gone into quarantine due to the COVID-19 outbreak. This is an unprecedented crisis situation in terms of breadth and scale: geographically, as well as from a health, social, and economic standpoint. We find ourselves in a situation where we cannot viably operate passenger services until countries re-open their borders, and travel confidence returns.”
Now, the decision stands reversed. An Emirates spokesperson told Quartz: “Having received requests from governments and customers to support the repatriation of travellers, Emirates will continue to operate passenger and cargo flights to the following countries until further notice, as long as borders remain open, and there is demand: the UK, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Australia, South Africa, USA, and Canada.”
"We continue to watch the situation closely, and as soon as things allow, we will reinstate our services," said the Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum. The United Arab Emirates on Friday announced its first two deaths from the COVID-19 disease, having reported 153 infections so far, of which 38 people have recovered. Maktoum said that, until January this year, the Emirates Group was "doing well" against current financial year targets, but "COVID-19 has brought all that to a sudden and painful halt over the past six weeks".
-Inputs from agencies
