India-UAE flight suspension: What to do if you have booked tickets?

The suspension of carriage of passengers from India to the UAE on flights has been extended, Dubai's Emirates said on its website.

"Emirates has suspended passenger flights from India effective April 24, 2021 until May 14, 2021. Furthermore, passengers who have transited through India in the last 14 days will not be accepted to travel from any other point to the UAE," the airline said.

This came as India set another global record in new Covid-19 cases on Thursday with 379,257 new infections.

Emirates also confirmed the suspension as it responded to passenger queries on Twitter.

Passengers with bookings on these cancelled flights can either keep the ticket for a future flight, or rebook the flight for another date, the airline added. Passengers can also request a refund.

Keeping your ticket

Passengers can keep their tickets and fly with Emirates within 36 months from the date of the original booking, the airline said. They can also request a refund. These options apply if the tickets have been booked before April 1, 2021 for travel on or before December 31, 2021.

All tickets issued from April 1, 2021 will be automatically valid for travel for 24 months, the airline added. Within that time, passengers have the flexibility to change the dates and ask for a refund at no extra charge.

How to keep your ticket for the future

This applies for tickets issued on or before September 30, 2020, with a travel date on/before December 31, 2021.

Passengers can keep the ticket they have already booked and use it later. The airline has extended its validity for 36 months from the date of the original booking. The ticket will be accepted for any flight to the same destination or within the same region in any booking class with no extra fees during this period.

For tickets issued on or after October 1, 2020 with a travel date on/before December 31, 2021, passengers can keep the ticket they have already booked and use it later. The airline has extended its validity for 36 months from the date of your original booking. The ticket will be accepted for any flight to the same destination or within the same region in the same booking class with no extra fees during this period.

• India