Emirates airline restarts flights to Bali after two-year Covid-19 pause


Hayley Skirka
  • English
  • Arabic

Emirates airline has resumed flights from Dubai to Bali after a two-year pause amid the global pandemic.

The Dubai airline’s first flight to Denpasar International Airport since 2020 landed in Indonesia on Sunday evening, and was welcomed by a traditional water cannon salute.

Crew and passengers on board the two-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft were greeted by traditional Balinese dancers and there was a festive atmosphere at the airport as cake was cut to celebrate the airline's return to the island.

After a two-year Covid-19 hiatus, Emirates airline has returned to Bali. Photo: Emirates
After a two-year Covid-19 hiatus, Emirates airline has returned to Bali. Photo: Emirates

Famed for its beautiful beaches, epic surf, rice paddies and ancient temples, Bali has long been a popular holiday destination and Emirates is now operating five flights per week direct to the island, with a flight time of about nine hours.

The airline will increase this to a daily service on July 1, to coincide with the busy summer season.

Bali underwent a strict lockdown amid the global pandemic, restricting access to much of the world. It reopened to international flights in October, but airlines and travellers failed to return as Indonesia continued to record high Covid-19 case numbers and implement strict entry measures.

Travellers to Bali no longer need to quarantine at their accommodation or book any preapproved hotels, but must be fully vaccinated and have a negative PCR test.

Jumeirah Bali: the island's newest all-villa luxury resort

Jumeirah Bali has opened in Indonesia. Photo: Jumeirah
Jumeirah Bali has opened in Indonesia. Photo: Jumeirah

Emirates' return to the island comes as another Dubai company makes its mark on the holiday hot spot.

The Jumeirah Group, parent company of the renowned Burj Al Arab, has opened its first property in Indonesia by way of the all-villa Jumeirah Bali.

Located in the Pecatu region in the south-west of the island, the new resort is on Uluwatu Beach, an area famed for being home to some of Bali's best shoreline.

It has 123 one and two-bedroom villas all with Indian Ocean views, private pools, butlers and pavilions overlooking the sunset or the resort’s landscaped tropical gardens. There's also a four-bedroom Royal Water Palace if you truly want to indulge.

The contemporary resort has a private beach, an infinity pool, the Peafowl Pavilion children's club and an oceanfront all-day dining restaurant with a farm-to-table philosophy.

Jumeirah Bali was inspired by the work of Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa. Photo: Jumeirah
Jumeirah Bali was inspired by the work of Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa. Photo: Jumeirah

Jumeirah’s award-winning Talise Spa is currently in soft launch at the resort with two therapy rooms. It will fully open in July when it will become home to Bali’s only traditional Turkish hammam and offer treatments based on ancient Balinese techniques and traditional herbal preparations.

In June, Akasa Gastro Gill will open giving guests a chance to enjoy traditional Indonesian cooking methods and techniques, alongside a resident DJ and specialist mixologist. Maja Sunset Pool Lounge will be the place to go to catch epic sunsets and enjoy light bites and refreshments overlooking the ocean.

Travellers will be able to take part in daily guided meditation and yoga classes, hosted by Jumeirah Bali’s resident master yogi. There’s also plenty of experiences on offer to help guests get out and explore the island, such as waterfall treks, hikes and more.

Villa rates start at just under Dh1,500 per night, excluding taxes, and there's an opening offer running for bookings made before June 30. jumeirah.com

Bali tops world's 20 best beach resorts ranking — in pictures

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Red flags
  • Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
  • Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
  • Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
  • Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
  • Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

The%20Roundup
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Meydan race card

6.30pm: Maiden; Dh165,000; (Dirt) 1,200m
7.05pm: Handicap; Dh170,000; (D) 1,200m​​​​​​​
7.40pm: Maiden; Dh165,000; (D) 1,900m​​​​​​​
8.15pm: Handicap; Dh185,000; (D) 2,000m​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
8.50pm: Handicap; Dh185,000; (D) 1,600m​​​​​​​
9.25pm: Handicap; Dh165,000; (D) 2,000m

The specs
Engine: 3.6 V6

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Power: 295bhp

Torque: 353Nm

Price: Dh155,000

On sale: now 

MATCH DETAILS

Liverpool 2

Wijnaldum (14), Oxlade-Chamberlain (52)

Genk 1

Samatta (40)

 

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The%20BaaS%20ecosystem
%3Cp%3EThe%20BaaS%20value%20chain%20consists%20of%20four%20key%20players%3A%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsumers%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20End-users%20of%20the%20financial%20product%20delivered%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDistributors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Also%20known%20as%20embedders%2C%20these%20are%20the%20firms%20that%20embed%20baking%20services%20directly%20into%20their%20existing%20customer%20journeys%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEnablers%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Usually%20Big%20Tech%20or%20FinTech%20companies%20that%20help%20embed%20financial%20services%20into%20third-party%20platforms%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProviders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Financial%20institutions%20holding%20a%20banking%20licence%20and%20offering%20regulated%20products%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Heavily-sugared soft drinks slip through the tax net

Some popular drinks with high levels of sugar and caffeine have slipped through the fizz drink tax loophole, as they are not carbonated or classed as an energy drink.

Arizona Iced Tea with lemon is one of those beverages, with one 240 millilitre serving offering up 23 grams of sugar - about six teaspoons.

A 680ml can of Arizona Iced Tea costs just Dh6.

Most sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, five teaspoons of sugar in a 500ml bottle.

Honeymoonish
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The Details

Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5 

Fund-raising tips for start-ups

Develop an innovative business concept

Have the ability to differentiate yourself from competitors

Put in place a business continuity plan after Covid-19

Prepare for the worst-case scenario (further lockdowns, long wait for a vaccine, etc.) 

Have enough cash to stay afloat for the next 12 to 18 months

Be creative and innovative to reduce expenses

Be prepared to use Covid-19 as an opportunity for your business

* Tips from Jassim Al Marzooqi and Walid Hanna

Company%20profile
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: Volvo XC40

Price: base / as tested: Dh185,000

Engine: 2.0-litre, turbocharged in-line four-cylinder

Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 250hp @ 5,500rpm

Torque: 350Nm @ 1,500rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 10.4L / 100km

The specs: 2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

Price, base / as tested: Dh101,140 / Dh113,800


Engine: Turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder


Power: 148hp @ 5,500rpm


Torque: 250Nm @ 2,000rpm


Transmission: Eight-speed CVT


Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km

Company%20profile
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Shipping%20and%20banking%20
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Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request

Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas

Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa

Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong

Rating: 3/5

F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

Spec%20sheet
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MO
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Profile

Company: Justmop.com

Date started: December 2015

Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan

Sector: Technology and home services

Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai

Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month

Funding:  The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups. 

Plan to boost public schools

A major shake-up of government-run schools was rolled out across the country in 2017. Known as the Emirati School Model, it placed more emphasis on maths and science while also adding practical skills to the curriculum.

It was accompanied by the promise of a Dh5 billion investment, over six years, to pay for state-of-the-art infrastructure improvements.

Aspects of the school model will be extended to international private schools, the education minister has previously suggested.

Recent developments have also included the introduction of moral education - which public and private schools both must teach - along with reform of the exams system and tougher teacher licensing requirements.

2.0

Director: S Shankar

Producer: Lyca Productions; presented by Dharma Films

Cast: Rajnikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Updated: May 04, 2022, 7:29 AM