Two airlines have almost simultaneously announced generous offers for medical professionals to thank them for their efforts in the fight against COVID-19. Both AirAsia and Jazeera Airways will allow doctors and other frontline workers to travel for free, with 50,000 tickets on offer by each.
AirAsia’s free travel for doctors
Announced yesterday, AirAsia India has launched an initiative it calls the ‘AirAsia RedPass,’ designed to acknowledge the efforts made by medical professionals during the coronavirus pandemic. Specifically, the scheme will pay tribute to doctors by giving away 50,000 free seats on flights across its domestic network as a gesture of gratitude.
Ankur Garg, Chief Commercial Officer at AirAsia India, commented in a statement regarding the initiative,
“As a mark of respect to our doctors and in recognition of the admirable values they have displayed through the last few months - grit, determination and strength, we at AirAsia India wanted to express our gratitude for their tireless efforts in keeping the nation safe and healthy. We understand that a lot of doctors have been away from their family and friends in the course of their commitment to their duty. True to our essence of connecting people and destinations, we would be honoured to play a part in connecting them to their loved ones.”
To apply for the program, doctors need to submit their contact details and the route they wish to fly on a special page on the AirAsia website. The RedPass is available for doctors across India and is good for a one-way flight to a domestic destination within the AirAsia India network.
Travel is available between July 1st and September 30th, and applications are open from now until June 12th.
Jazeera matches AirAsia’s offer
Announced today, Kuwait headquartered Jazeera Airways is also offering 50,000 free tickets for ‘frontline heroes’ that are working to combat COVID in the State of Kuwait. Unlike AirAsia, however, Jazeera is offering to fly medical professionals both ways, with return tickets on offer.
In a statement sent to Simple Flying, Jazeera Airways Chairman, Marwan Boodai, said,
We are honored to follow the directive of His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah - may God protect him – to the Government to reward our fellow frontline workers for their efforts to prioritize the safety of our people in the fight against the pandemic. The fifty thousand free tickets will be redeemable to any destination served by our airline’s network. The tickets will be distributed to frontline individuals as directed by our esteemed Government.”
Frontline workers need to be nominated and approved by their ministry to be eligible for the flights. Bookings will open once Kuwait International Airport opens for commercial flights and are available for travel up to the end of 2021.
The efforts of Jazeera Airways comes on the back of several coronavirus-related initiatives by the airline. This includes operating more than 60 repatriation flights, bringing home almost 7,000 Kuwaiti citizens, as well as converting its Park & Fly facility into a drive-through COVID testing site. The team is currently working on the construction of a second testing facility at the Jaber Al-Ahmad national stadium. It has also been flying a number of cargo flights to support local businesses.
As yet, there’s no news on when Kuwait International will reopen or when Jazeera will be able to restart its commercial flight operations.