This airline will pay for medical expenses, quarantine costs for free if you catch COVID-19 during travel

In a bid to boost passenger demand amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, Emirates has come up with a new strategy -- coronavirus insurance. The Dubai-based airline has said that if passengers contract COVID-19 during their journey, it will pay for medical expenses up to €150,000 (Approx Rs 1,31,62,000).

If the passenger needs to undergo complete isolation, the airline will pay €100 (Approx Rs 8,700) towards quarantine cost for up to two weeks.

And if the passenger does not survive, Emirates will pay €1,500 (Approx Rs 1,31,660) for the funeral. The airline said the coverage is free and is applied automatically, no extra registration necessary.

The coronavirus insurance is available for travel till October 31, 2020. "It is valid for 31 days from "the moment you take your first flight, and it covers you even if you travel onwards to another city," Emirates said as per a Business Insider report.

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The airline, however, will not cover the costs for getting a COVID-19 test. "Passengers must contact the Emirates to get expenses approved before paying them," it said.

Globally, the aviation sector is among the worst-affected due to the COVID-19 crisis and curbs on movement.

The airline's COVID-19 coverage is provided through NEXtCARE, which is an arm of travel insurance provider Allianz.

Resuming mass layoffs after a lull in June, Emirates fired 800 pilots on July 8.

A senior executive from the industry said, "560 pilots laid-off were on the airline's A380 fleet and 240 on its B777 planes."

In the first round of the exercise, the Dubai-based airline had laid off 600 pilots in a day, which in itself was among the largest such exercise in the global aviation industry.