In its response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Emirates the international airline has been rated the safest by the Safe Travel Barometer. Emirates has set industry-leading safety standards since the resumption of its operations back in May. This airline has topped the ranks with a ‘Safe Travel Score’ of 4.4 out of 5.0 among 230+ airlines evaluated worldwide.
The score is based on an independent audit of 26 health and safety parameters evaluating safety protocols, traveler convenience, and service excellence announced by airlines.
Emirates’ 34 years in India have been defined by progressive investment, partnership, and growth. In October 1985, Emirates launched flights from Dubai to Delhi and Mumbai which formed the base of its initial route network. Since then, Emirates has grown its India operations to serve a total of nine destinations across India – Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Thiruvananthapuram – with 170 weekly flights. Globally, the airline flies to 157 destinations in 83 countries and territories.
Safe Travel Barometer, on the other hand, is the world’s most comprehensive solution to monitor and benchmark supplier initiatives in the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry for the post-COVID world. Its rating mechanism considers safety measures and hygiene standards across all touchpoints of a traveler’s journey which Emirates has consistently delivered on.
At every step of the journey, Emirates has spared no effort to prioritize the care, health, and safety of its customers, employees, and communities.
Enhanced biosafety measures taken by the airline include the distribution of complimentary hygiene kits, protective barriers at check-in desks and immigration counters, personal protective equipment and new safety protocols for cabin crew and airport employees in customer-facing roles, and elevated aircraft cleaning procedures including the frequent cleaning and disinfecting of aircraft lavatories every 45 minutes during flights, amongst many other measures.
Emirates has also led the way in traveler convenience which was another sub-category considered by the Safe Travel Barometer. The airline was first in the industry to offer its customers free Covid-19 cover to help them travel with more confidence, knowing that medical expenses of up to EUR 150,000 and quarantine costs of EUR 100 per day for 14 days will be covered if they are diagnosed with COVID-19 during their travel, while they are away from home.
Emirates’ booking policies also offer customers great flexibility and confidence to plan their travel. Customers have options to change their travel dates or extend their ticket validity for 2 years. In addition, the airline launched initiatives to help its loyal Emirates Skywards members retain their tier status and introduce new ways for them to earn and spend their Miles.
The Safe Travel Barometer was launched in 2020 to monitor global traveler health and safety measures, traveler convenience initiatives, and overall traveler experience which influences traveler’s decision-making and the actual journey in the new normal. The Safe Travel Score is an industry-first COVID-19 rating initiative, created in the wake of recovery from the pandemic.
Safe Travel Barometer is a B2B solution by Safe Travel Technologies, an independent subsidiary of VIDEC, a travel industry advisory and consulting firm. The coverage includes more than 2,000 companies across 10 industry categories, 50 parameters, and traveler arrival information on more than 80 destinations.