Virgin Atlantic has introduced Virgin Atlantic Covid-19 cover which will apply to all existing and new bookings, travelling from August 24, 2020, up until March 31, 2021.
The insurance policy with Allianz Assistance offers comprehensive cover if a Virgin Atlantic customer or travel companion becomes ill with Covid-19 while on a trip.
Emergency medical costs, associated expenses such as transport and accommodation and repatriation up to £500,000 (around R11-million) are included, as well as costs if a customer is denied boarding or held in quarantine.
The introduction of free Covid-19 insurance will cover all new and existing bookings.
The policy, which applies automatically to all flights booked with Virgin Atlantic, is designed to complement existing travel insurance and provide additional peace of mind for upcoming trips, whether customers are already booked or plotting a getaway.
Providing the customer is travelling on a Virgin Atlantic ticket, the cover will also apply if the flight is operated by a partner airline or a Joint Venture carrier like Delta Air Lines or Air France-KLM.
Juha Jarvinen, the Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Atlantic, said the airline's priority is focussed on the health and safety of its people and customers.
"This industry-leading Virgin Atlantic Covid-19 Cover ensures customers can continue to fly safe and fly well with us. Whether it’s to visit friends and relatives or take a well-deserved break, we believe this complimentary cover will provide some added reassurance for our customers as they start to plan trips further afield.
“It applies in parallel to existing travel insurance policies which may now exclude Covid-19, and provides comprehensive cover for coronavirus, recognising the needs of our customers as we restart services," said Jarvinen.