Emirates announced that it will resume flights to Nairobi, Baghdad and Basra, growing its passenger network to 67 destinations in August 2020.

The city of Dubai has re-opened for business and leisure visitors with new air travel protocols and requirements, exempting travelers from 12 countries (including certain states in the United States and Russia) to arrive without mandatory certificates of a negative COVID-19 test (travel restrictions due to change on August 1, 2020).

The airline offers global coverage for medical expenses related to the COVID-19 virus should their customers be diagnosed with it during their travel. This policy extends to all customers regardless of travel class or destination and also comes free of charge.

Emirates has also revised its booking policies, offering customers whose flight plans are disrupted by the COVID-19 to hold on to their tickets and rebook to fly in the next 24 months. It also promised new hygiene measures to be in action at every single point of travel, in hopes to improve passenger confidence in the safety of travel.

As the global pandemic threatens to continue wreaking havoc on the industry, some airlines see this time as an opportunity to prepare themselves for future growth. No doubt more and more carriers will follow suit with new policies aimed at safer air travel.