Emirates is reopening the bars onboard its fleet of Airbus A380 aircraft. The social space at the rear of the giant's upper deck was closed in early January. The measure was designed as a safety one to limit the spread of the Omicron COVID-19 variant onboard flights.
The bar onboard Emirates' Airbus A380s is a popular amenity and one which sets its Airbus A380s apart from some of its competitors. While the airline is reportedly getting ready to sell its first A380's bar at auction, the remaining fleet retains the space, and it has even seen an upgrade to keep with the times.
The bar is now open
One Mile At A Time spotted that Emirates has reopened the social space onboard its Airbus A380s. The airline's "What's on my flight" tool shows that the Airbus A380's bar and social areas are available. A message on the website says,
"Join us in the Onboard Lounge to enjoy drinks and light bites. The lounge is open as usual with a few changes to maintain the strictest levels of hygiene and safety. You can also order takeaway drinks and snacks to enjoy in your seat."
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Why close the bar in the first place
According to UAE publication The National, the Dubai-based giant decided to close the area as a precaution towards the start of January. At the time, there was a significant surge in COVID-19 cases reported in the UAE, with 3,020 cases reported on January 22nd alone, according to data from Google. As a social space designed for consumption, there is naturally a large chance for COVID-19 particles to be exhaled if a passenger is infected.
While tests are required to board some Emirates flights (including for flights to Dubai), the rules largely depend on those at the passenger's destination. This means that some passengers could board flights without taking a COVID-19 test before the flight. The fact that passengers are eating and drinking in the facility suggests that they would have a reason not to wear a mask.
While still remaining reasonably high, the number of cases reported in the country has shown a strong downwards trend. This likely contributed to Emirates' decision to reopen the facility. IATA recently called for governments to scrap travel restrictions as COVID-19 moves towards an endemic phase.
This is likely good news for passengers. If the pandemic follows IATA's expectation, then there shouldn't be a need for stricter in-flight rules once again. However, until COVID-19 is truly under control, it is unlikely that new norms such as COVID-19 tests and masks on flights will be removed.
Have you missed the bar onboard Emirates' Airbus A380s? Are you happy to see them back, or should they remain closed a little longer? Let us know what you think and why in the comments!