Emirates adds repatriation flights to South Africa – Etihad offering service to 18 destinations

Emirates adds repatriation services to South Africa and Etihad continues to repatriate people to 18 destinations

Emirates will operate four flights to South Africa before the end of June as the Dubai airline helps travellers return home. Courtesy Emirates 

Dubai may have relaxed travel restrictions for citizens and residents, but many people in the UAE are still trying to get home.

New travel regulations in Dubai allow travel to any country welcoming holidaymakers, but many countries have kept their borders closed to tourists, and are accepting returning residents only. Emirates and Etihad continue to operate repatriation flights for these situations, to transport travellers trying to get back to their home countries.

This week, Emirates will operate four repatriation flights from Dubai to South Africa. The flights will operate on Tuesday, June 23, Thursday, June 25, Sunday, June 28 and Tuesday, June 30.

The National has reached out to Emirates for more information on which destinations in South Africa these flights will service and how travellers can book a seat on the flights: this information was not listed on the airline's website when this story was published.

The destinations the airline regularly flies to are Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town.

Etihad, the national airline of the UAE, has also extended its repatriation services. The airline will operate these flights to 18 different destinations between now and the end of June.

Across Europe the airline will fly to Amsterdam, Barcelona, Brussels, Dublin, Geneva, London, Madrid, Milan, Paris and Zurich. To Asia, it will fly travellers home to Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Korea, Singapore and Tokyo.

Etihad will also operate two repatriation flights to Australia, flying to Sydney on Tuesday, June 23 and to Melbourne on Thursday, June 25.

UAE airlines have been operating repatriation services to several destinations since airports across the country were closed to commercial flights in March. See here for The National's complete guide to repatriation flights.