Emirates to celebrate vaccine milestone with special flight; to resume service to Orlando
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Emirates has announced that it will operate a special A380 flight to celebrate UAE's vaccination milestone and has also announced the resumption of flights to Orlando in Florida.
Special flight
Emirates is joining the growing list of airlines that are offering scenic 'flights to nowhere'. This particular special Airbus A380 flight, however, is to showcase the UAE's remarkable progress in its vaccination programme as well as highlight Emirates' progress in vaccinating its employees. The flight will carry only fully vaccinated crew and passengers onboard.
Emirates said the following as part of a public statement:
The one-off flight EK2021 is a unique event that not only celebrates the success of the UAE's vaccination programme to date, but also highlights Emirates' progress in vaccinating its staff and in particular its pilots and cabin crew.
Emirates said that 'the UAE is one of world's leading countries in administered vaccinations for citizens and residents, and has made four COVID-19 vaccines available for free to everyone'. The Dubai-based carrier further adds that 'to date, over 8 million vaccine shots have been administered in the UAE, protecting over half of the UAE's population'.
Emirates' special scenic flight details
On 10th April 2021, special flight EK2021 will depart Dubai International Airport at 12:00hrs local time, to cruise over various areas across the UAE. The flight will return to Dubai at 14:30hrs local time. Passengers will have the opportunity to experience Emirates' newest A380 aircraft which features the airline's brand-new Premium Economy seats, and refreshed cabin interiors across all cabin classes.
Passengers travelling on EK2021 will be able to experience all of Dubai International Airport's services and amenities on the ground before boarding.
Economy class cabin on Emirates' newest A380. Photo: Emirates
Additionally, travellers can also try out the latest safety measures, including the new biometric and contactless technology which Emirates has recently implemented at the check-in areas and boarding gates at Dubai airport.
Related: Emirates plans to resume A380 flights to Australia and New Zealand
Tickets for flight EK2021 will be available to UAE citizens and residents who have completed the two-week period after their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. UAE ID or passports, as well as vaccination certificates, are required.
Tickets are priced at AED 1,000 ($272) per person in Economy, and AED 2,000 ($544) in Business Class. Emirates also mentions that all fares collected for this special flight EK2021 will be donated to the Emirates Airline Foundation, the airline's non-profit charity organisation which supports projects around the world aimed at improving quality of life for disadvantaged children.
***Note that Emirates has mentioned nothing about the pricing of Premium Economy ticket.***
All customers traveling on EK2021 will be provided pre-departure rapid COVID-19 testing, free of charge. Masks and physical distancing policies are in effect throughout the event. Passengers for special flight EK2021 will be expected to arrive at check-in with their flight ticket, from 3 hours before flight departure. They will be required to bring their UAE ID or passports, as well as vaccination certificate.
Emirates says tickets can be purchased from the the airline's contact center, Emirates' UAE sales offices, as well as local travel agents. Interested passengers can visit the website for more information as well as special terms and conditions.
Resumption of flights to Orlando
Emirates has announced resumption of flights to Orlando in Florida. The flight will run 4-times-a-week and will be operated by a Boeing B777-200LR.
Emirates will deploy B777-200LR on Orlando flights. Photo: Emirates
Flight schedule of Dubai-Orlando-Dubai route:
Dubai-Orlando
Flight time: 15 hours and 35 minutes
Flight number: EK219
Frequency: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays
Orlando-Dubai
With the addition of Orlando, Emirates will be serving over 60 weekly services to and from 11 destinations in the United States including Boston, New York (JFK), Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington D.C, Seattle, Dallas, Houston, San Francisco and Newark (in June), reaffirming the airline's ongoing commitment to this growing market and offering a convenient connections to travellers headed from and towards the Middle East, West Asia, and Africa via Dubai. Passengers can also access to other US cities via the airline's codeshare agreements with JetBlue and Alaskan Airlines.
Related: Emirates to resume flying to 3 US destinations along with increased frequencies
Emirates' B777-200LR
Flights to and from Orlando will be operated by a Boeing B777-200LR offering 38 lie-flat seats in Business and 264 ergonomically designed seats in Economy class.
Featured image by Emirates
What do you think of Emirates' special A380 flight and resumption of service to Orlando? Let me know in the comments section below.
Tags Airbus, Airbus A380, Dubai, emirates, Orlando
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