The authorities have organised 312 special flights…

After the temporary shut down of the city’s tourism sector, many Dubai residents were left unstuck and in need of a flight home. Dubai Airports has announced the successful repatriation of more than 37,000 people.

By working with the aviation teams and government entities, Dubai Airports helped 37,469 people return home on 312 repatriation flights operated by 54 different airlines.

For now, regular passenger flights to and from the UAE are still suspended. However, special flights have been arranged to bring back residents in emergency circumstances.

For those who have traveled on one the repatriation flights, stringent physical distancing measures were put in place. Passengers must be spaced out across the aircraft, and wear a face mask at all times.

At Dubai International Airport, thermal scanners are in place to detect passengers suffering from a high temperature as they enter. Protective barriers have also been installed at the check-in desks, to protect passengers and ground staff.

Throughout the first half of May, Dubai-based airline Emirates, will make several one-way flights to Frankfurt, London Heathrow, Manila, Sao Paulo and Shanghai.

At this stage, Emirates is only offering outbound flights from Dubai. The airline’s regular commercial flights are set to remain grounded until July 2020, as the world recovers from the Covid-19 outbreak.

Image: Twitter