Emirates to operate one-off flight carrying only vaccinated passengers and crew

Passengers on EK2021 will have the opportunity to experience the airline's new premium economy seats

Emirates is operating a one-off flight to celebrate the UAE's successful vaccination programmes. Courtesy Emirates

Emirates is planning a special flight that will carry only vaccinated passengers and crew.

To highlight the UAE’s successful vaccination programme, the airline will operate the one-off flight on Saturday, April 10. EK2021 will depart from Dubai International Airport at midday and cruise over various parts of the UAE before returning at 2.30pm.

The flight will also celebrate the airline’s own success in vaccinating its staff, particularly cabin crew and pilots.

Tickets are priced at Dh1,000 for economy and Dh2,000 for business class, and can be purchased from the Emirates contact centre and Emirates sales offices in the UAE, as well as local travel agents.

All proceeds from this special flight will be donated to the Emirates Airline Foundation, a non-profit charity organisation that supports projects around the world aimed at improving the quality of life for disadvantaged children.

All passengers are required to present their passports or Emirates IDs, as well as vaccination certificates. They will be provided with pre-departure rapid Covid-19 testing, free of charge, and must observe physical distancing protocols and wear their masks throughout the journey.

Passengers on EK2021 will have the opportunity to experience Emirates' newest A380 aircraft, which features the airline's new Premium Economy seats, as well as refreshed interiors across all cabin classes. Passengers will also be able to see firsthand the latest measures that have been put in place on the ground at Dubai International, including new biometric and contactless technology that Emirates has recently introduced in check-in areas and boarding gates.

To date, more than eight million vaccine shots have been administered in the UAE, covering more than half of the UAE's population. Meanwhile, more than 35,000 Emirates employees have received their Covid-19 vaccine shot from one of the company's vaccination centres, with more than 85 per cent of the airline's pilots and cabin crew having already received two doses of the vaccine.