Emirates president Sir Tim Clark has confirmed that the Dubai-based carrier is actively exploring a bespoke travel-insurance product that would be bundled with tickets for any customer flying to, from or through Dubai. Speaking to the Financial Times and later to UK trade publication TTG, Clark said the airline is looking at “reasonably priced, comprehensive cover that would guarantee repatriation or onward travel on another carrier should regional conflict flare up again.” The idea is a direct response to the British Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office’s (FCDO) continuing advisory against all but essential travel to the United Arab Emirates. That stance means many normal travel-insurance policies will not pay if a trip is disrupted by security events. Emirates believes the uncertainty is suppressing demand, particularly among corporate travel managers who must demonstrate duty-of-care. Although load factors have recovered to roughly 75 %, Clark said some London–Dubai flights are “bursting at the seams”, while others on secondary routes remain soft because travellers fear being stranded.
![Emirates considers launching dedicated travel-to-Dubai insurance to reassure international passengers]()
For travellers weighing up the risks and requirements of a trip to the UAE, online visa specialist VisaHQ can simplify at least one part of the equation. The company provides up-to-date guidance on entry rules, documentation and processing times, and can handle visa applications end-to-end through its UAE portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/), freeing corporate travel teams and individuals to focus on insurance and itinerary decisions.
If introduced, the cover would sit alongside Emirates’ existing multi-risk COVID and medical policies, which—when first launched in 2020—were credited with accelerating the rebound of long-haul traffic via Dubai. Industry analysts note that a conflict-specific policy could set a new benchmark for airlines operating in volatile regions, shifting the burden of political-risk insurance away from employers and travellers. It would also dovetail with Dubai’s strategy to maintain hub status despite wider Middle-East instability; DXB is currently processing about 40,000 transfer passengers a day, down from 100,000 pre-crisis. Travel-risk consultants say the proposal could be particularly attractive to multinational firms routing crews or project teams through the Gulf, because it reduces the administrative complexity of piecing together separate war-risk and trip-cancellation policies. However, they caution that insurers will want clarity on trigger points, exclusions and how the product interacts with employer liability coverage. Emirates has not yet disclosed underwriting partners or a launch timeline but promised to “keep the market updated when details are finalised.”
For travellers weighing up the risks and requirements of a trip to the UAE, online visa specialist VisaHQ can simplify at least one part of the equation. The company provides up-to-date guidance on entry rules, documentation and processing times, and can handle visa applications end-to-end through its UAE portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/), freeing corporate travel teams and individuals to focus on insurance and itinerary decisions.
If introduced, the cover would sit alongside Emirates’ existing multi-risk COVID and medical policies, which—when first launched in 2020—were credited with accelerating the rebound of long-haul traffic via Dubai. Industry analysts note that a conflict-specific policy could set a new benchmark for airlines operating in volatile regions, shifting the burden of political-risk insurance away from employers and travellers. It would also dovetail with Dubai’s strategy to maintain hub status despite wider Middle-East instability; DXB is currently processing about 40,000 transfer passengers a day, down from 100,000 pre-crisis. Travel-risk consultants say the proposal could be particularly attractive to multinational firms routing crews or project teams through the Gulf, because it reduces the administrative complexity of piecing together separate war-risk and trip-cancellation policies. However, they caution that insurers will want clarity on trigger points, exclusions and how the product interacts with employer liability coverage. Emirates has not yet disclosed underwriting partners or a launch timeline but promised to “keep the market updated when details are finalised.”
