Emirates is preparing to introduce insurance guarantees to reassure travellers and revive Dubai’s tourism sector, which has been hit hard by the Iran‑US‑Israel conflict, Daily Mail reported.
The carrier’s president Tim Clark said passengers would be guaranteed a way home, even via rival airlines if necessary, to ease fears of being stranded amid escalating regional tensions.
Emirates is negotiating with insurers to make the coverage a “reasonably priced” add‑on for ticket holders.
The move comes as Dubai, which had hoped to welcome a record 20 million visitors this year, is losing an estimated £450 million a day due to hotel closures and lost business.
Despite global governments maintaining no‑fly advisories, Dubai International Airport continues to handle around 40,000 daily transfer passengers.
Emirates has restored about 80 per cent of its pre‑war network and last week reported a small profit, with flights averaging 75 per cent full.
The airline posted $6.3bn (£4.71bn) in profit for the year ending March, though the figure would have been $7bn (£5.23bn) without the disruption caused by the war.
Clark told the Financial Times that passenger numbers have rebounded faster than expected, describing the profit as an “unexpected bonus” and noting the airline is “well ahead” of its initial loss estimates for the first quarter.
He further predicted the crisis, which has doubled jet fuel prices, will trigger a “complete overhaul” of global oil distribution, while reaffirming Emirates’ commitment to its four‑engine Airbus A380 fleet, calling it “an enormous cash generator and profit generator.” (Newswire)