CLARK FREEPORT—Emirates is planning to mount three more flights from Dubai to Manila on April 20, 22 and 24 to help more Filipinos in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) get back home.
A news statement from Emirates on Friday said this follows the successful operation of two flights to Manila this week which have already brought many Filipino residents and visitors back home.
Emirates said flights can be booked on emirates.com, or via travel agents. Only citizens of the Philippines and those who meet the entry requirements of the destination will be allowed to board. Passengers will be required to comply with all requirements of the destination country.
Similar to other repatriation flights that Emirates has operated thus far and for health and safety reasons, the airline will offer a modified inflight service that reduces contact and the risk of infection. More information is available on emirates.com.
Emirates said passengers will be required to apply social distancing guidelines during their journey and wear their own masks when at the airport and on board the aircraft.
Travelers should arrive at Dubai International airport Terminal 3 for check-in, three hours before departure. Emirates’ check-in counters will only process passengers holding confirmed bookings.
Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) make up a large part of Emirates travelers to and from the Philippines. Due to the family-oriented nature of Filipino culture, being with their loved ones is very important to them.
However, with air-travel restrictions put in place not just in Dubai and the Philippines but in many countries all over the world due to lockdowns being implemented to slow down the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), returning home has become difficult for these Pinoys.
Emirates said the addition of the said dates for limited flights from Dubai to Manila will allow the Filipinos, especially those who have been planning to do so even before the Covid-19 outbreak, to be able to finally book a flight back to the Philippines.
It is also Emirates’ way of helping them reunite with loved ones in their home country, the Emirates news statement said.