KOCHI:

Emirates has a surprise for traveller flying to Kerala, India to celebrate Onam, the celebration of the Kerala harvest season. It has laid out a myriad of delicious treats onboard and an array of entertaining Malayalam movies. From August 20  to 31, 2023, authentic Onam dishes will be served across all cabin classes, on flights to and from Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram to Dubai.

Onboard the 14 times weekly Emirates flight to Kochi, and the 7 times weekly Emirates flight to Thiruvananthapuram, curated menus with the distinctive flavours of Onam will be offered, giving travellers a taste of home. Passengers will enjoy traditional appetisers of sharkara upperi – banana roasted in sweet jaggery, kaya varuthathu – crisp banana chips and kondattam mulaku – fried sundried chillies steeped in yoghurt. Passengers will also have a selection of tasty dips essential for Onam, including kaalan made of coconut, fresh yoghurt and yam, cucumber pachadi – a garnished salad, and puli inji – a sweet and tangy ginger-based chutney. First and Business Class passengers will also be served Kerala-style pappadam and piquant mango pickle.

A delectable choice of main courses will follow including alleppey kozhi curry – spiced chicken in coconut sauce, served with avial, chemba rice and cabbage carrot thoran, or vegetarian sadhya – sambar and kootu, paired with matta rice and carrot pea thoran, spiced chicken sukha – pan-fried chicken with coconut and spices, steamed rice, carrot pea thoran and vegetable kootu, or mutton sukha with chemba rice, erissery and bean thoran. First Class customers can also choose the tasty option of mutton pepper fry.

Desserts will include Onam favourites like palada pradhaman- creamy rice pudding served with roasted pistachios, raisins, and cashew nuts, or parippu payasam – the popular sweet lentil pudding topped with roasted coconut flakes. Staying true to the festive season, all meals will be served on banana leaf dish liners to offer an authentic feel to the sadhya for Keralites.

To make the journey even more memorable, those celebrating Onam can enjoy more than 6,500 channels of entertainment on Emirates award-winning ice, more than 45 Academy Award winning films, over 2,000 movies, 650 TV shows, and 4,000 hours of music, podcasts, and audiobooks across 40 languages. 18 Malayalam movies including award-winning titles like Ela Veezha Poonchira, Hridayam and blockbusters Bro Daddy and 12th Man are currently available on ice.

Emirates celebrates a wide range of global cultures inflight and is passionate about delighting customers with regionally inspired cuisine and special seasonal menus. From Onam to Diwali, Eid, Chinese New Year, Christmas, and Oktoberfest to Easter – many festivals are celebrated, creating thoughtful experiences for all global travellers.

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DUBAI:

Celebrating World Chocolate Day on 7 July, Emirates is sharing that more than 40 million pieces of gourmet chocolate are served onboard each year, to passengers in all classes. Sweetening the travel experience with the world’s most beloved confectionary, Emirates selects and serves a delectable selection of artisan chocolate as part of the signature meal service in all classes, to 140 destinations around the world, according to a press release.

Throughout the last 12 months, 35 million chocolate treats have been served in Economy Class, more than 160,000 chocolates in Premium Economy Class since its launch in June 2022, with an additional 4 million chocolate pairs offered in Business and First Class. Emirates also introduced large gourmet chocolate boxes to First Class in December 2022, offering premium passengers the chance to indulge in a sample onboard and even takeaway some of their favourite flavours, with chocolate fans relishing more than 36,000 boxes in the last six months.

Emirates collaborates closely with connoisseur chocolatiers from around the globe, including Bateel, Coco Jalila and Forrey & Galland from the UAE, Godiva from Belgium, Valrhona from France, Butlers from Ireland, Canonica and Neuhaus from Switzerland, Pacari from Ecuador and Hotel Chocolat from the UK. The chocolate brands are selected for a multitude of reasons including content – for example dark, milk or white chocolate, bonbons, pralines or truffles, with fillings of creamy ganache or tangy fruit, the all-important taste and texture component, alongside brand recognition, current trends, its ‘instagrammability’ and whether its sustainably sourced. Each handpicked chocolate brand is on board for a minimum of 3 months before a new selection is introduced to delight frequent flyers.

Across all classes, customers craving a chocolate fix can enjoy chocolate desserts and hot chocolate from the menu. The most popular chocolate desserts onboard Emirates historically are the decadent Molten Chocolate Cake in First Class and the silky-smooth Milk Chocolate Mousse for children. On longer routes, chocolate candy bars are served in a snack tray and chocolate lollipops are offered to children during festive celebrations. At Emirates’ A380 Onboard lounge, customers can also help themselves to vegan and non-vegan sweet treats of M&Ms, chocolate cake and chocolate mini treats.

In Emirates Lounges, chocolate is a staple feature, with customers enjoying homemade Emirates chocolate ice-cream from the old-fashioned ice cream cart, signature creamy hot chocolate from Costa Coffee, and a myriad of creative chocolate desserts from Emirates Master Chefs, including white chocolate raspberry delight with white chocolate mousse and luscious raspberry jelly, decadent chocolate truffles, a fruity white chocolate passionfruit cheesecake and indulgent dark chocolate salted caramel tarts amongst many others.

A special chocolate-focused dessert is a new feature in Emirates First Class Lounges in Dubai, using Valrhona Grand Cru Blends from around the globe to make exquisite desserts like chocolate and pecan gateaux, 85% Abinao chocolate cremeux, pecan praline, Sacher sponge and spiced milk ice cream, as well as Dulcey Chocolate – a blond and biscuity flavoured chocolate. In July, the special First-Class lounge dessert will be a rich chocolate extravaganza of 64% Manjari dark chocolate entremets, cocoa crumble, dark chocolate sponge, vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.

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The Odias living in the UAE celebrated the Odisha Divas at the Indian consulate in Dubai on April 16. It was attended by India’s consul general Dr. Aman Puri who thanked Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for the Bhubaneswar-Dubai direct flight scheduled to start from May 15.

The counsel general said, “Today, it is a very special celebration. Today, we are celebrating India’s best kept secret being connected with Dubai, which is a shining example of how trade, tourism and investment can transform the lives of people. Today, we are connecting Bhubaneshwar with Dubai, which will enable people of Orissa to be connected to the world, through this amazing hub of Dubai not just for tourism, but also trade and the employment opportunities in different parts of the world and for seeking investments. We are also going to be enabling people living in the Middle East, our Emirati brothers and sisters and our brothers and sisters from over 200 nationalities, who consider UAE their second home, to have a seamless experience of visiting Bhubaneshwar, in India’s best kept secret.”

Dr Puri said that he considered himself blessed as he visited Bhubaneshwar a few months ago. The warmth of the hospitality of the people there deeply touched him, he said.

Dr. Puri welcomed the Tourism Minister Aswini Kumar Patra, Minister of Science and Technology Ashok Chandra Panda, the private secretary to the Chief Minister, the secretary and the delegation from Orissa. The consul general also welcomed delegates from the UAE, representatives of Indian community living in the UAE and the other countries in the Gulf region.

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Inbound flights from India will remain suspended until July 31, Etihad Airways confirmed. Earlier Emirates had made a similar announcement.

Etihad said on Twitter in reply to a customer query: “Following the latest UAE Government directives, passenger travel from India to the UAE and Etihad’s network has been suspended effective until 31 July 2021.”

There has been a travel ban on flights from India since April owing to the surge in COVID-19 cases in the country; the second wave had seen the spread of the highly transmissible ‘Delta’ variant virus.

But UAE nationals, holders of UAE Golden Visas and members of diplomatic missions who comply with the updated COVID-19 protocols, are exempt from the ban.

Emirates has also suspended flights to and from South Africa and Nigeria till July 31, 2021, in line with government directives.

Although Emirates briefly announced that international flights to Dubai will begin for vaccinated residents on June 23, the decision was revised and the ban was put in place till July 21. The airlines will keep tickets open for passengers who have encountered a flight cancellation.

However, Indian expats desperate to get back to their work in the UAE, have used other means to enter the country. They have taken flights to countries in the UAE green list – Uzbekistan, Serbia, Armenia, Ethiopia etc. – and spent the required 14-day quarantine in those countries before flying to the UAE.

Chauffeur service for economy passengers

Etihad has now rolled out a private chauffeur service for economy passengers to select destinations. They will be collected from Abu Dhabi International Airport and taken directly to their home, hotel or preferred destination in the emirate of Dubai. Indian cities do not figure in the list of destinations as of now.

The offer has come as a welcome news for holiday makers during the six-day Eid al Adha holiday beginning on July 19.

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On Monday morning, the full airport and onboard customer experience for flight EK215, which departed Dubai at 0830hrs for Los Angeles, was safely supported by check-in, security, Business and First Class lounge and boarding gate employees, as well as engineers, pilots and cabin crew who made the choice to be fully vaccinated.

Also supporting the flight’s operations were fully vaccinated aircraft appearance, loading and special handling teams from dnata, as well as SkyCargo teams working on the cargo and logistics requirements for EK215.

The Emirates Group rolled out its vaccination drive at pace just over a month ago, and since then, close to 26,000, or 44%, of the Group’s UAE frontline aviation workforce have received both doses of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Sinopharm vaccines.

Adel Al Redha, Chief Operating Officer, Emirates Airline said: “Our operational workforce are at the aviation frontline, helping people get to where they need to be, and moving essential goods to global communities. Protecting our people with vaccinations is important – for them, for our community, for the smooth running of our operations, and also for our customers as it introduces of an additional layer of protection when they travel with us. We’ve seen a very positive response with high demand and take-up of the COVID-19 vaccine from our colleagues at the operational frontline, and there’s continued momentum in the rate of vaccinations across the business. We would like to thank the UAE’s leadership for making three types of vaccines available in the country, and for their proactive commitment to championing an extensive National Vaccination Programme.”

Nearly 5,000 Cabin and Flight Deck Crew have opted to receive both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine. In addition, thousands more Emirates Group employees in other roles have taken their COVID-19 vaccine through the company’s clinics and vaccination centres, while others have opted to take their vaccine at one of the many vaccination centres across the UAE.

Al Redha added: “At the outset of the pandemic, Emirates implemented robust safety measures to protect and prioritise the safety of our customers and employees at all stages of the travel journey, and with the rapid progress of our own vaccination programme and high rates of take-up, more of our flights will soon be operating with fully vaccinated frontline employees. We are also confident that with more people being vaccinated, combined with strong safety measures in place, we can all look forward to the easing of border entry guidelines for many countries.”

The Emirates Group vaccination programme is the latest in its series of safeguards and protections to deliver on its health and safety promises to its customers, employees and the communities it serves around the world. The Group’s vaccination centres have been running 12 hours a day, every day of the week to prioritise and provide aviation frontliners with the vaccine.

The UAE currently has one of the world’s highest rate of vaccinations for its citizens and residents as it fights to curb the spread of COVID-19. So far, the UAE has administered over 5.4 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, and Our World In Data, a research website based at Oxford University, recently reported that the country’s distribution rate stands at 55.27 doses per 100 people, ranking it the second highest in the world.

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Customers who book return Economy tickets to Dubai from 2 to 23 December for travel from 6 Dec 2020 to 28 Feb 2021 will be eligible for a complimentary one-night stay at the JW Marriot Marquis on their first night in Dubai. While travellers booked in First and Business Class will receive two complimentary nights’ stay from the day of arrival. For more information visit: Click here

The fares valid from India for economy class starts from Rs.17,514; for business class it starts from Rs.65,783 and for first class it starts from Rs. 1,92,638.

Any Indian national holding a valid UAE visa and destined for UAE only can travel under the air bubble arrangement, valid till the end of December 2020.The tourists will be required to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate valid for 96 hours from the date of the test before departure.

Fly better on Emirates and enjoy over 4,500 channels of entertainment on ice – the airline’s award-winning inflight entertainment system, as well as regionally inspired meals and complimentary beverages.

Emirates customers can travel with peace of mind with the airline’s flexible booking options, generous baggage allowance and newly introduced multi-risk travel insurance, including COVID-19 cover with every flight. Emirates has also implemented a comprehensive set of measures at every step of the customer journey to ensure the safety of its customers and employees.

Emirates has been rated the safest airline in the world in its response to the COVID-19 Pandemic according to the Safe Travel Barometer. It has the highest ‘Safe Travel Score’ among 230+ airlines evaluated worldwide. The score is based on an independent audit of 26 health and safety parameters evaluating safety protocols, traveller convenience and service excellence announced by airlines.

Dubai is open and ready to welcome tourists with the highest levels of safety protocols in place to keep its residents and visitors safe. The vibrant, cosmopolitan city has an eclectic mix of offerings including impressive beaches, world-class shopping, and fine dining restaurants.

What does a holiday in Dubai look like?

As a safety precaution, all passengers arriving in Dubai must take a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test up to four days prior to their date of travel (maximum 96 hours). You may be required to take another test at Dubai Airports upon arrival.Children under the age of 12 and passengers with a severe or moderate disability are exempt from the PCR test.More information here

Masks and social distancing

In Dubai, it is mandatory to wear a mask in public places at all times including on Emirates flights, however children below the age of six who struggle with wearing masks are exempted from wearing them. You can remove your mask when you are seated at a restaurant or café. Social distancing is also practised throughout the city and at all venues including on public transport.

Hotels, malls and indoor venues

Hotels in Dubai including the JW Marriot Marquis use contactless check in and rooms are sanitised for safety. All indoor venues including malls enforce mandatory temperature checks at the entrance and employ digital safety guidelines including contactless menus at restaurants.
Outdoor activities

Dubai is a haven for thrill seekers and all outdoor and sports activities are operating with safety restrictions and protocols. This includes helicopter rides, hot air balloons, desert safari, desert camping, dhow cruises, kayaking and more. All sports activities that can be practised individually or with 5 people or less have resumed. This includes sky diving and renting of jet skis, boats and bicycles.

Dubai’s beaches are open and safe with social distancing. Global Village has also opened on 25 October 2020 for its 25th season, with strict precautionary measures in place.

For more information visit: Click here

Flexibility and assurance: Emirates’ booking policies offer customers flexibility and confidence to plan their travel. Customers who purchase an Emirates ticket for travel on or before 31 March 2021, can enjoy generous rebooking terms and options, if they have to change their travel plans. Customers have options to change their travel dates or extend their ticket validity for 2 years.

Travel with confidence: All Emirates customers can travel with confidence and extra peace of mind with the airline’s industry first, multi-risk travel insurance and COVID-19 cover. This generous cover is offered by Emirates on all tickets purchased on or from 1 December 2020, at no cost to customers. In addition to COVID-19 medical cover, this latest offer from Emirates 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, similar to other multi-risk travel insurance products.

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: Click here

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India is one of the fastest growing markets globally for the food and beverage sector. With a young population that is increasingly well travelled and familiar with international cuisine, there has been a growing awareness and demand in the country for quality produce and food ingredients from around the world.

In 2015, Catch of Norway Seafood, a family business based out of Bengaluru and Oslo, realised the immense potential for bringing fresh seafood from the cold waters of Norway to fine-dining restaurants and homes of customers in India. Mark Alzawahra, co-founder of the company moved to India and set up a small office in Bengaluru to import and distribute salmon and other seafood to end customers in the country.

Over a period of five years, Catch of Norway has met with success, rapidly expanded its client base by supplying to restaurants in 5-star hotels, premium and organic supermarkets as well as leading catering businesses across more than 10 cities in India. Following on from its success in the b2b sector, Catch of Norway has now also established its own direct to customer channels, allowing for individual customers across many cities in India to source seafood from Norway.

From its early days of setting up business in India, Catch of Norway has had a reliable partner in Emirates SkyCargo, the freight division of Emirates. Through its cargo operations across a global network, Emirates SkyCargo helps facilitate the rapid movement of fresh seafood from Oslo to Bengaluru via Dubai.

“Our first shipment of fresh salmon was transported in 2015 with Emirates from Oslo to Bengaluru via Dubai. Emirates SkyCargo has literally been part of our success from the first time we imported salmon in to India to this day. Emirates came highly recommended and we were already aware of the reputation of the passenger and cargo services. There is a lot of trust in the name Emirates and the organization does not disappoint,” said Mark Alzawahra, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Catch of Norway Seafood.

“Emirates SkyCargo has the best and widest route network with multiple flight frequencies from key cities. For perishables such as premium salmon, cod, halibut, and shellfish, minimizing transport time, transit times, and turnaround times on the ground is crucial. Having multiple flights from Oslo to Dubai and onwards to Bangalore has been very important. If there are delays, there are backup flights within a short timeframe if the initial connection was missed.

“Emirates SkyCargo’s teams in Oslo and Bangalore have been very responsive and supportive over the years. We imported 50 kg of fresh whole salmon and fresh salmon fillets and portions for our first shipment in to India. In 2020 We were importing almost one tonne of fresh seafood from Norway every shipment, mostly with Emirates SkyCargo. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, Emirates SkyCargo has been operating regular cargo connections to Bengaluru, helping maintain the continuity of the supply chain” added Alzawahra.

Emirates SkyCargo prides itself as a business enabler for small and medium sized enterprises operating internationally by helping them access growth opportunities in new markets through its flight connectivity. Currently Emirates SkyCargo flies cargo to over 135 destinations across six continents. Through its global network and modern all-widebody aircraft fleet, the air cargo carrier is able to rapidly transport time-sensitive cargo including fresh seafood and other agricultural produce from origin to destination.

With Emirates Fresh, Emirates SkyCargo’s specially designed air cargo product for perishables, the carrier is able to ensure that commodities such as seafood retain their freshness throughout the journey.

Emirates SkyCargo has been operating flights to Oslo since 2014. In addition to passenger flights, the air cargo carrier also operates freighter flights to the Norwegian capital since October 2016, offering around 100 tonnes of cargo capacity per flight. Between 2016 and 2018, Emirates SkyCargo helped export over 35,000 tonnes of Norwegian salmon to a number of export markets in the Middle East and Asia. Over the last three years, Emirates SkyCargo has transported over 225,000 tonnes of seafood across the globe.

Emirates SkyCargo connects nine destinations in India to its international cargo network through scheduled cargo flights. India is one of the cargo carrier’s most important markets globally. In 2019, Emirates SkyCargo transported more than 250,000 tonnes of cargo to and from India, including important exports of food items and perishables as well as pharmaceuticals.

As part of its business plan over the next two to three years Catch of Norway Seafood is looking to expand its source markets, diversifying its product portfolio and embracing e-commerce channels to match the evolving tastes of Indian customers.

“We have sourced seafood occasionally from the Netherlands and we are considering importing seafood from markets such as Canada, Japan and Spain. We are also observing an increased interest in a variety of health-food and plant-based food product ranges from Europe in India, all of which is very exciting and we look forward to using Emirates SkyCargo’s services and expertise in bringing these quality goods from international destinations into the Indian market,” commented Mark Alzawahra.

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Emirates has been rated the safest airline in the world in its response to the COVID-19 Pandemic according to the Safe Travel Barometer.

The airline, which has set industry-leading safety standards since the resumption of its operations back in May, has topped the ranks with a ‘Safe Travel Score’ of 4.4 out of 5.0 among 230+ airlines evaluated worldwide. The score is based on an independent audit of 26 health and safety parameters evaluating safety protocols, traveller convenience and service excellence announced by airlines.

Safe Travel Barometer is the world’s most comprehensive solution to monitor and benchmark supplier initiatives in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry for the post-COVID world. Its rating mechanism considers safety measures and hygiene standards across all touchpoints of a traveller’s journey which Emirates has consistently delivered on. At every step of the journey, Emirates has spared no effort to prioritise the care, health and safety of its customers, employees and communities.

Enhanced biosafety measures taken by the airline include the distribution of complimentary hygiene kits, protective barriers at check-in desks and immigration counters, personal protective equipment and new safety protocols for cabin crew and airport employees in customer facing roles, and elevated aircraft cleaning procedures including the frequent cleaning and disinfecting of aircraft lavatories every 45 minutes during flights, among many other measures.

Emirates has also led the way in traveller convenience which was another sub-category considered by the Safe Travel Barometer. The airline was first in the industry to offer its customers free COVID-19 cover to help them travel with more confidence, knowing that medical expenses of up to EUR 150,000 and quarantine costs of EUR 100 per day for 14 days will be covered if they are diagnosed with COVID-19 during their travel, while they are away from home. Emirates’ booking policies also offer customers great flexibility and confidence to plan their travel. Customers have options to change their travel dates, or extend their ticket validity for 2 years. In addition, the airline launched initiatives to help its loyal Emirates Skywards members retain their tier status and introduce new ways for them to earn and spend their Miles.

The Safe Travel Barometer was launched in 2020 to monitor global traveller health and safety measures, traveler convenience initiatives and overall traveler experience which influences traveler’s decision-making and the actual journey in the new normal. The Safe Travel Score is an industry-first COVID-19 rating initiative, created in the wake of recovery from the pandemic.

Safe Travel Barometer is a B2B solution by Safe Travel Technologies, an independent subsidiary of VIDEC, a travel industry advisory and consulting firm. The coverage includes more than 2,000 companies across 10 industry categories, 50 parameters, and traveller arrival information on more than 80 destinations.

Emirates’ 34 years in India have been defined by progressive investment, partnership and growth. In October 1985, Emirates launched flights from Dubai to Delhi and Mumbai which formed the base of its initial route network. Since then, Emirates has grown its India operations to serve a total of nine destinations across India – Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Thiruvananthapuram – with 170 weekly flights. Globally, the airline flies to 157 destinations in 83 countries and territories.

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Emirates airline will partner with global pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer to help with distributing its COVID-19 vaccine.

Emirates president Tim Clark said the airline is working closely with American multinational Pfizer to develop methods to transport the vaccine.

“The industry is trying to establish best practice involving the third-party supply chain and this logistical exercise, to ensure we get them [vaccines] to the markets that need them so badly, and basically that’s the whole planet,” Clark told

CNBC in an exclusive interview on November 15. “The logistics of distribution of this vaccine of this nature, given the conditions under which it has to be shipped – it’s going to be a challenge for the industry. We’re working on trying to move this Pfizer vaccine in specially designed containers on our planes, in our holds, and in the cabins, and keeping them at that level through the distribution point,” he added.

The vaccine has to be kept at a temperature around minus 70°C for optimal efficiency.

Last week, Pfizer and its German trial partner BioNTech announced that their Covid-19 vaccine is more than 90 per cent effective. The data comes from ongoing Phase 3 clinical trials. While reports indicate the vaccine may cause side effects, such as aches and fever, they are not worse than what is often seen with other vaccines.

The Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine is one of 11 around the world in Phase 3 clinical trials, which involve thousands of participants. Other vaccine candidates in clinical trials around the world include vaccines from Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson.

If the vaccine receives approval for widespread use, a maximum of about 50 million doses would be available this year, with capacity for 1.3 billion more to be manufactured in 2021, according to Pfizer.

Clark said the Pfizer vaccine, and others in development, could have a positive impact on the global economic recovery, the aviation sector and global aviation demand.

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Dubai carrier Emirates will be providing kosher meals in its flights from next year. Emirates Flight Catering (EKFC) is setting up a kosher food production facility called Kosher Arabia at the company’s headquarters in Dubai. The global catering company will start producing meals from the facility in January 2021.

Emirates already offers kosher options to travellers on flights, but these are sourced from overseas suppliers. Kosher Arabia will help the airline to upgrade its offerings and take control of the meal quality of its kosher dishes.

EKFC provides catering services to more than 100 airlines, so they will also be able to draw from the new division.

Apart from in-fight kosher options, EKFC will also explore avenues for opening kosher restaurants across Dubai and the GCC. It will provide kosher catering for hotels and events across the Gulf region, including for the Expo 2020 next year.

The facility is set to be certified by the Kashrut Division of the Orthodox Union and is being developed in partnership with CCL holdings and the South African Union of Orthodox Synagogues. The culinary team at EKFC will handle all food production while CCL Holdings will provide certification, menu support and assistance in sourcing particular foodstuffs.

EKFC, one of the largest catering operations in the world, prepared over 80 million meals last year.

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Those booked to fly with Etihad between now and December 31, 2020 will qualify for the COVID-19 cover.
The insurance, made in partnership with AXA, is valid worldwide for 31 days from four hours before passengers depart on their first Etihad flight. The cover ceases when travellers return to their home country, or after 31 days, whichever happens first.

Travellers diagnosed with COVID -19 will be automatically covered for medical expenses or quarantine costs when flying with the national airline. Travellers who want to use Etihad’s coverage must contact the assistance team as early as possible, because medical expenses taken before this will not be reimbursed.

The policy has medical cover up to €150,000 (Dh651,000), and up to €100 per day for quarantine costs for 14 days. It also covers medical repatriation for the insured person and one travel companion, plus any accompanying children.

If the infection results in death, Etihad will cover the costs of repatriating the body back to the country of departure or to another specified location, as well as reimburse up to €1,500 in funeral costs.

Travellers diagnosed with Covid-19 while on their trip must contact the airline’s COVID-19 assistance team. There is a dedicated 24-hour hotline for both Arabic (+971 4 507 4002) and English (+971 4 507 4007) speakers.
All passengers flying with Etihad must have a negative Covid-19 test before travelling, but the policy does not cover the cost of this process.

Meanwhile, Etihad said on September 7 that the pay cut for employees will be extended till end of 2020. Emirates, on the other hand, has said that it will pay full salaries from October. The Dubai carrier has resumed flights to 84 destinations.

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Emirates has said that it has returned over Rs.9,985 crore ($ 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).

Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline said: “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. 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 re-open, 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 re-opened 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.

Destination Dubai: From sun-soaked beaches and heritage activities to world class hospitality and leisure facilities, Dubai is one of the most popular global destinations. In 2019, the city welcomed 16.7 million visitors and hosted over hundreds of global meetings and exhibitions, as well as sports and entertainment events. Dubai was one of the world’s first cities to obtain the Safe Travels stamp from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) – which endorses Dubai’s comprehensive and effective measures to ensure guest health and safety.

Flexibility and assurance: Emirates’ booking policies offer customers flexibility and confidence to plan their travel. Customers who purchase an Emirates ticket by 30 September 2020 for travel on or before 30 November 2020, 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. More information here.

Free, global cover for COVID-19 related costs: 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 31 October 2020 (first flight to be completed on or before 31 October 2020), 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. For more details click here

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:.emirates safety click here

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