DUBAI: Emirates has started on-site Covid-19 tests for passengers as the aviation industry begins to rebuild confidence in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Passengers on a flight to Tunisia were all tested for Covid-19 before departing from Dubai, with the results available within ten minutes. The programme is being conducted by the Dubai Health Authority. Adel Al Redha, Emirates Chief Operating Officer, said: “The testing process has gone smoothly, and we would like to take this opportunity to thank the Dubai Health Authority for their initiatives and innovative solutions. “We are working on plans to scale up testing capabilities…
Author: holidayweekly
ISTANBUL: Turkish Airlines has extended its suspension of international flights until May 20 as the coronavirus continues to spread worldwide. “In accordance with the decisions taken by the authorities of the Republic of Turkey and to protect the public health from novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic…all our international flights are suspended until May 20” read a statement from the airline on its website. The carrier previously said it would halt almost all international flights until April 17, but has now extended the cancellation until May 20. Domestic flights have been suspended until May 1, the statement said.
KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Wednesday issued a schedule for special international flights to repatriate thousands of Pakistanis stranded in different countries due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ARY News reported. According to the PIA spokesperson, the national carrier will continue its flight operation from April 15 to April 19. The PIA will operate nine special flights between the period. Sharing details of the next phase of the relief operation, he said a flight from Islamabad to Toronto is planned for Wednesday followed by two more from Islamabad to Manchester on April 17 and 18 consecutively. The PIA will operate…
MANAMA: Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, in response to the global outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus COVID-19 has introduced a bundle of ‘golden principles’ to maintain health and safety of its valued passengers and crew members. These principles come in addition to what the airline has carried out since late February when the outbreak has emerged regionally and globally and will continue to be reviewed when necessary and reassessed on a regular basis. The golden principles of existing and newly introduced practices are: Modifying seating arrangement: Gulf Air will maintain distances on-board between all passengers…
ISLAMABAD: National Tourism Coordination Board (NTCB) has recently formed a national committee to develop a strategy and action plan to ensure quick recovery of tourism sector in the post Covid-19 scenario. The first virtual meeting of this committee was held on 13th April. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Aftab Rana, member National Tourism Coordination Board and attended by 9 other members including Mrs. Midhat Shahzad, Secretary Tourism AJK government, Mr. Asifullah, Secretary Tourism, Gilgit-Baltistan, Mr. Intikhab Alam, Managing Director PTDC, Mr. Junaid Khan, Managing Director Tourism Corporation of KP , Mr. Maqsood Ul Mulk, President PATO, Mr. Naeem Shareef,…
MIAMI: To address expanding global travel restrictions and provide peace of mind in guest travel planning, Royal Caribbean Group is extending its Cruise with Confidence cancellation policy through September 1, 2020. The updated policy enhances planning flexibility by allowing cancellations up to 48 hours prior to sailing for any reason. Guests will receive a full credit for their fare, usable on any future sailing of choice in 2020 or 2021. “Guests are reacting positively to our Cruise with Confidence policy,” says company chairman and CEO Richard Fain, “because it enables them to make informed decisions and to better manage complicated…
KARACHI: Taking cognizance of the need to implement robust protocols in the current COVID-19 environment and in continuation to the measures taken by Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority to prevent the spread of COVfD-19 in Pakistan, subject Standard Operating Procedures have been approved by the Competent Authority, for domestic private aircraft flight operations restricted between Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad airports only. The Standard Operating Procedures will come into immediate effect and full compliance with the instructions contained therein shall be ensured by all Private Aircraft Operators. An undertaking assuring full compliance in letter and spirit with the instructions of the SOPs…
MIAMI: Carnival Corporation has seen a sharp rise in its share price following a decision by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia to take a significant stake in the company. The sovereign wealth fund snapped up 8.2 per cent of the cruise giant, or 43,508,895 shares of common stock. Shares jumped 17 per cent, to $10 a piece, after weeks of decline as the coronavirus pandemic continues to decimate the tourism industry. Carnival Corporation is, however, still down by more than 70 per cent since the beginning of the year. The sudden drop in business has forced Carnival to…
NEW DELHI: IATA Agents Association of India has urged the Centre to introduce a bailout package for the travel and tourism industry. The sector had contributed 9.2 per cent of the GDP in India and now due to the Covid-19 crisis, it is passing through a very critical phase, said Biji Eapen, National President of the IATA Agents Association of India. Quoting reports, he said 75 million jobs are at immediate risk in the global travel and tourism, of which 9 million would be from India. Currently, the travel and tourism businesses in India are forced to lay off their…
WASHINGTON: The Unites States Centres for Disease Control & Prevention have extended a ‘no sail order’ for 100 days, or until health bodies declare the Covid-19 pandemic over. The move effectively bars cruise lines from boarding passengers or return to sailing schedules in the near future.Around 100 cruise ships in the Atlantic, Pacific or Gulf of Mexico must now remain idle, either in port or wallowing at anchor.Those ships currently have nearly 80,000 crew aboard. Cruise ship lines have voluntarily suspended most operations, leaving a small number of ships left at sea with passengers aboard. Many have struggled to find…