Dubai’s Emirates suspends flights to Sydney and Melbourne

Australia all but closed its borders to travelers last year to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Emirates is suspending flights to Australia’s three largest cities due to “operational reasons,” the world’s largest airline by international passengers announced.

Emirates airliners are seen on the tarmac in a general view of Dubai International Airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (FILE PHOTO / REUTERS)

The last flights to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane will be on Jan. 20 and customers for those cities will not be accepted for travel at their point of origin. Emirates did not say when the flights would resume.

Australia all but closed its borders to travellers last year to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Arrivals are capped, and those who do enter have to undergo a strict quarantine for two weeks. Many of its citizens abroad have struggled to get home.

Dubai, the Middle East’s main business hub, locked down the city for about a month last year and Emirates grounded passenger flights. It’s eased entry requirements in recent months in a bid to boost tourism.