Dubai-based carrier Emirates has announced that passengers will no longer need to wear masks on all of its Dubai-bound flights, more than two years after they became mandatory due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This announcement comes not long after the UAE government made the decision to drop mask requirements in most indoor settings beginning September 28.
The airline announced its updated COVID-19 policy via Twitter and Facebook on Wednesday (September 28), posting a video of a flight attendant removing her mask to reveal a welcoming smile.
According to the airline, passengers flying from or transiting through Dubai International Airport (DXB) might still need to wear a mask depending on their destination. Those traveling to mask-free destinations, meanwhile, can still wear a mask on board if they wish to do so.
Since September 16, passengers flying to destinations where masks are not mandatory have been allowed to remove their masks once the airplane’s doors have been closed for taxi and take off. However, passengers on all Emirates flights into Dubai have been required to wear a mask due to the mask mandate in the UAE.
Emirates is among the latest carriers in Asia and the Middle East to make masks optional on most of its flights, as governments around the world continue to revise their COVID-19 protocols.
On September 28, Malaysia’s health ministry announced that passengers on Malaysia-flagged carriers will no longer be required to wear masks, depending on their destination.
Last month, Singapore Airlines (SIA) announced that masks will be made optional on select flights, following the Singapore government’s decision to drop mask mandates in most indoor settings except for public transportation and healthcare facilities.
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