Travel & Flights

Emirates to resume flights from select cities

February 4, 2021
Sharita J. Wilson


a large jetliner sitting on top of a body of water: UK-UAE travel ban: Emirates to resume flights from select cities

© Provided by Khaleej Times
UK-UAE travel ban: Emirates to resume flights from select cities

In a fresh travel update issued by Emirates airline on Monday, the Dubai-carrier said it will resume flights from select UK cities to Dubai.

Last week in January, a travel ban was placed between the UAE and the UK. Announced by the UK mission in UAE, the suspension took effect from 1pm UK time on January 29.

“You will not be able to fly directly to the UK from the UAE after this time,” the embassy tweeted on Thursday.

Britain’s Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the UAE has been added to the government’s travel alert list along with Burundi and Rwanda.

The announcement left many British visitors to scramble for last-minute arrangements to fly out of UAE.

On February 1, Emirates airlines issued a statement saying that

‘From February 2, 2021, we will operate passenger flights to Dubai from London Heathrow and Manchester. Customers seeking to leave the UK on these services should ensure that they are authorised to travel under the latest UK government rules, and meet the travel requirements of their final destination.

Gallery: Aircrafts: Cool and colorful aircraft from around the world


From popular cartoon characters to national football teams, airlines around the world often unveil unusual livery to publicize partnerships or promote special events. Click through to take a look at some eye-catching aircraft liveries. 



China Eastern Airlines lifted the curtain on a “Toy Story”-themed aircraft in April 2018, with characters from the Disney-Pixar movie — Buzz Lightyear, Sheriff Woody and more — adorning both the inside and outside of the plane. Launched to mark the opening of Toy Story Land in Shanghai Disney Resort in China, the aircraft flies between Beijing and Shanghai.



In February 2018, Australia’s Qantas Airways lifted the curtain on the livery of its Dreamliner plane, which was inspired by late artist Emily Kame Kngwarreye’s painting “Yam Dreaming.” The swirls of red and ochre signify the importance of the yam as a staple food source in Kngwarreye’s homeland of Utopia, north-east of Alice Springs, Australia.



Marking Icelandair’s 80th anniversary in 2017, the airline’s Boeing 757-200 aircraft was painted to include an image of Vatnajökull, Europe’s largest ice cap. Ice cave-like cabin interior and electric blue LED lighting system in the main cabin lent a further feeling of flying inside a glacier!



Chinese carrier Hainan Airlines collaborated with DreamWorks Animation in 2016 to feature “Kung Fu Panda” film franchise on six 787-9 Dreamliners, operating between China and seven North American destinations. The third of the six planes inspired by the kung fu-obsessed panda was unveiled in 2017. 



Thailand’s low-cost carrier Nok Air’s logo is the beak of a bird. The airline has built on that image, incorporating the rest of the bird onto its livery, by painting a smirking beak on the nose of the plane. The brightly colored planes are attention-grabbing and resemble a character from the hit game “Angry Birds.”



In 2015, Brussels Airlines painted one of its Airbus A320s in the theme of Brussels-born cartoon character Tintin. Named “Rackham,” with a side of the aircraft reading “We fly you to the home of Tintin,” the airplane’s look is based on Professor Calculus’ shark submarine from the comic book “Red Rackham’s Treasure.”



In 2015, Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways painted one of its Boeing 787 Dreamliners to resemble iconic “Star Wars” character R2-D2. Since then, it has added more Star Wars jets, showcasing characters like BB-8 (pictured). From napkins to seat headset covers, the characters from the film franchise make their presence felt inside of the droid-themed aircraft as well.



EVA Air flies Hello Kitty-themed airplanes all over Asia, with select flights to the U.S. and Europe. From the exterior of the aircraft to the utensils for in-flight meals, everything bears the stamp of Hello Kitty designs. 



Qatar Airways, the official airline partner of Spanish soccer club FC Barcelona from 2014 to 2017, launched a special livery at the start of that partnership, featuring the flag and club emblem across the rear half of the Boeing 777, with the tagline: “A team that unites the world.”



Azores Airlines painted a sperm whale on the outside of one of its Airbus A330 aircraft, to celebrate the islands’ status as a whale sanctuary. The airline’s logo – the tail fin of a whale – is displayed on the tail.



As tourists flocked to New Zealand after the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy was released (the movies were filmed in the country), its national carrier, Air New Zealand, unveiled planes with liveries based on the popular franchise. An in-flight safety video with the actors from the franchise was also introduced.



In December 2017, EgyptAir received the Boeing 737-800 SU-GEN. The airline later transformed the livery to feature the Egyptian football team, which qualified for the 2018 FIFA soccer World Cup after a gap of 28 years. 



All Nippon Airways, Japan’s largest airline on basis of fleet size, launched an airplane with a special livery to celebrate the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The plane, which has been officially named as “Hello 2020 Jet,” came into service on domestic routes from January 2018. 



Alaska Airlines’ “Spirit of the Islands” livery is a nod to the unique culture of Hawaii, the Aloha State. The design is by Honolulu high school student Aaron Nee, who won a statewide “Paint-the-Plane” contest in 2013. 



From flowers to umbrellas and cartoon characters, Bangkok Air’s planes are adorned with everything. In 2013, the carrier unveiled livery featuring its five mascot characters. 



For the grand opening of the Shanghai Disney Resort in 2016, China Eastern Airlines unveiled an aircraft painted in blue and featuring portraits of cartoon characters Mickey and Minnie Mouse.



Icelandair’s Hekla Aurora aircraft sport aurora borealis-themed liveries. Launched in 2015, the Hekla Aurora is illuminated with LED-mood lighting inside the cabin to recreate the northern lights, an astronomical phenomenon.



All Nippon Airways unveiled its first Pokémon-themed aircraft in 1998. Pokémon characters like Bulbasaur, Pikachu and Jigglypuff could be spotted from the nose of the plane to the tail. A total of nine Pokémon jets were launched before the theme was removed in 2016.



In 2006, Swiss International Airlines unveiled an aircraft with livery depicting farmers herding cows through an alpine meadow. Four years later, aircraft with flower power liveries were launched on the Zurich-San Francisco route. 



In 2016, Alaska Airlines underwent a brand update and revealed a new livery design — a refined Eskimo logo on the tail and heavier use of blue and green accents. 



21/21 SLIDES

We regret the inconvenience caused, and affected customers should contact their booking agent or Emirates call centre for rebooking.

Travellers seeking to enter the UK should refer to the UK government website for the latest information on entry requirements and isolation / quarantine arrangements on arrival.’

The UK travel guidelines said that non-citizens will be barred from travelling to the UK from the UAE, and British citizens will have to undergo a 10-day quarantine. Any exemptions usually in place will not apply, including for business travel, announced the UK that is reeling under a massive spike in coronavirus cases.

The decision to ban travel from these destinations follows the discovery of a new coronavirus variant first identified in South Africa, that may have spread to other countries, including Burundi and Rwanda, said a government spokesperson.

From 1pm on January 29, passengers who have been in or transited through the UAE, Burundi and Rwanda in the last 10 days will no longer be granted access to the UK.

This does not include British and Irish nationals, or third-country nationals with residence rights in the UK. They will be able to enter the UK but are required to self-isolate for 10 days at home, or in a hotel. They will not be eligible to use “Test to Release’ that allows people to use a negative Covid test result to release themselves from quarantine protocol.