So far 26 passengers from Emirates flight EK380 have tested positive for Covid-19 upon arrival in Hong Kong. On June 20th, the plane left Pakistan bound for Hong Kong with a transit in Dubai.
Health officials remain puzzled given that thermal screening is conducted at Dubai airport, even for transit passengers. The possible spread of the virus onto other passengers being present at the airport at that time is still uncertain.
The incident has raised questions regarding the effectiveness of the body temperature checks being implemented at airports, as well as what measures could be implemented in the coming days. IT could also be a setback for commercial aviation and its hopes on recovery and volume of air travel.
Emirates has decided to suspend all flights from Pakistan as of June 24th.
“We are coordinating closely with the various authorities and will review and implement any required additional measures to satisfy all parties before we resume services from Pakistan,” An Emirates spokesperson said. “The health and safety of our crew, customers and communities remain our top priority.
