Dubai’s Emirates to operate flights at full capacity to Brisbane as Australian city eases restrictions

Dubai airline Emirates is increasing its capacity on flights to Brisbane starting from Thursday, December 16, in line with the easing of local government restrictions on international travel.

The state of Queensland has allowed the return to full capacity on inbound international flights after it achieved its target to reach a double-dose vaccination rate of 80 per cent.

From Thursday, Emirates flight EK430 from Dubai to Brisbane can carry more than 350 passengers per flight, and will be operated with a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft in a three-class configuration.

Eligible overseas passengers travelling to Brisbane will no longer have to quarantine in state facilities and can now self-isolate at home, based on a series of requirements stipulated by the Queensland government.

The airline is also increasing its weekly capacity on the route by boosting the frequency of flights EK430/431 between Dubai and Brisbane to five times weekly, effective January 1, 2022, with the potential to increase in line with demand, it said in a statement.

Travel requirements for Brisbane

Travellers must be Australian citizens, permanent residents, or an immediate family member and must also provide proof they are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 with a TGA-approved vaccine.

Passengers must also provide a negative Covid-19 PCR test result within three days of the scheduled date of departure from their international destination.

To fulfil home quarantine requirements mandated by authorities in Queensland, passengers must also undergo additional PCR tests on day one and 12 of their quarantine period, and any other time during quarantine when experiencing Covid-19 symptoms.

Before entering Queensland, eligible travellers must apply for and receive a Queensland International Arrivals registration in addition to submitting the Australia Travel Declaration.

Perth capacity boost

Emirates also announced that from February 5, its flights to Perth will operate at full capacity for eligible vaccinated travellers.

The airline is also planning to boost frequency on the route – flights EK420/421 will increase to five times weekly next year, the statement said.

Vaccinated travellers arriving in Perth will not be subject to quarantine but will be required to follow Western Australia’s guidance on arriving international passengers.

Passengers must provide a negative Covid-19 PCR test result with 72 hours validity before departure to Perth.

Proof of vaccination against Covid-19 with a TGA-approved vaccine is also required in order to obtain a permit to enter. Passengers must apply for a G2G Pass prior to travel.

Western Australia regulations require arriving international passengers to undergo Covid-19 tests within 48 hours of arrival and at six days after arrival in Perth.

“Emirates is excited to increase our inbound capacity to Brisbane and Perth as part of the continued return of international travel across the country,” said Barry Brown, Emirates’ divisional vice president for Australasia.

“As the demand for international travel grows by the day, we’re offering greater connectivity for eligible Australians looking to return home and be reunited with their loved ones. This comes as we’re celebrating 25 years of flying to Australia and have already increased our services to Sydney and Melbourne and brought back our flagship A380 to serve our customers travelling into and out of New South Wales.”

The airline resumed operating its A380 to Sydney in December and also introduced a daily Dubai to Melbourne service earlier this month providing more than 1,000 additional seats weekly between the two cities.

Also read: Dubai’s Emirates ramps up operations to Australia