PHOTO
Emirates has temporarily suspended bookings for flights from Dubai to Auckland in New Zealand, which has recently seen a surge in the number of returnees following the easing of coronavirus restrictions.
The ticket reservations are being put on hold for a period of three weeks, a spokesperson told Zawya on Wednesday.
“In response to the New Zealand government’s directive to restrict capacity on all inbound international flights, new bookings on Emirates’ flights to Auckland will temporarily be unavailable for the next three weeks,” said the spokesperson.
The Dubai-based carrier restarted its New Zealand flights at the beginning of the month.
The airline, which had earlier grounded most of its passenger aircraft due to the lockdown imposed by the UAE government, has recently been announcing new flights. It plans to resume services to 52 destinations this month.
The New Zealand government announced on Tuesday its decision to put on hold new reservations for international flights in order to manage a huge influx of returnees to its isolation facilities.
“We are seeing rapid growth in the numbers of New Zealanders coming home as the COVID-19 pandemic worsens. Our number one priority is stopping the virus at the border, so everyone must go into quarantine or managed isolation,” the country’s housing minister, Megan Woods said in a statement.
According to Emirates, passengers who had already made their bookings prior to the announcement will not be affected.
“The safety of our passengers and crew is our highest priority and we are working with the relevant authorities to minimise disruption,” said the airline.
(Reporting by Cleofe Maceda; editing by Seban Scaria)
#Emirates #Dubai #Auckland #Aviation #Travel #COVID-19
Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. The content does not provide tax, legal or investment advice or opinion regarding the suitability, value or profitability of any particular security, portfolio or investment strategy. Read our full disclaimer policy here.
© ZAWYA 2020
