Tag Archives: Emirates

In response to the latest developments in the COVID-19 outbreak around the world, Emirates airline is taking extra steps that go above and beyond industry and regulatory requirements to ensure its customers’ health and comfort. On all aircraft departing from its hub in Dubai, Emirates has implemented enhanced cleaning and complete disinfection of all cabins as a precaution. In line with the latest expert medical finding that the COVID-19 virus is primarily transmitted by touch, Emirates has placed its greatest focus on surface cleaning. The airline uses an approved chemical that is proven to kill viruses and germs, leaves a long-lasting protective coating against new contamination of viruses, bacteria and fungi on surfaces, and is eco-friendly. The cleaning process includes a comprehensive wipe down of all surfaces – from windows, tray tables, seatback screens, armrests, seats, in-seat controls, panels, air vents and overhead lockers in the cabin, to lavatories, galleys and crew rest areas. All of this is done in addition to other normal procedures such as changing head rest covers on all seats, replacement of reading materials, vacuuming, and more. To complete this thorough cleaning process within an hour while the aircraft is preparing for its next mission, requires a team of 18 trained cleaners on a Boeing 777, and a team of 36 for an A380. In a 24-hour period on an average day, some 248 aircraft go through this process. On any aircraft that were found to have transported a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 case, Emirates would go even further, and implement deep cleaning and disinfection in a process that takes between six to eight hours to complete. This includes the defogging of cabin interiors and misting …

Emirates announces plans to launch a new daily service from Dubai (DXB) to Penang International Airport (PEN), via Singapore (SIN), from April 9, 2020. Emirates’ flight to Penang will be a linked service with Singapore, allowing passengers to travel easily between the two cities while enjoying the airline’s award-winning service. Penang will become Emirates’ second destination in Malaysia after its capital, Kuala Lumpur, which the airline currently serves with three flights a day and is a route that has been operating since 1996. The flight will be operated by an Emirates Boeing 777-300ER aircraft in a three-class configuration, offering eight private suites in First Class, 42 lie flat seats in Business Class and 304 spacious seats in Economy Class. The new route enables travellers from the northern cities of Malaysia to enjoy convenient connections from Dubai to destinations in Europe, North America and the Middle East. Located on the North-western coast of Malaysia, the state comprises a mainland portion as well as an island, connected by Malaysia’s two longest roadbridges. Penang is the country’s second largest populated city and is known for its rich heritage and architecture, vibrant multicultural society, modern entertainment and retail options, cuisine as well as the natural beauty of its beaches and hills. “We have been serving Malaysia through our flights to Kuala Lumpur for more than 20 years, with three-times daily service, and the introduction of flights to Penang will help us meet growing demand from leisure and business travellers, both to and from Malaysia. We are also pleased that the fifth freedom flights between Penang and Singapore will connect two sister cities and increase connectivity for passengers in South East Asia,” said Adnan Kazim, …

Emirates is all set to showcase its latest flagship Airbus A380 to visitors and spectators on January 15, 2020 at the Kuwait Aviation Show 2020. Visitors to the show will be able to tour the popular double-decker’s signature interiors and experience its industry trendsetting products across all three classes, including Emirates’ latest generation Onboard Lounge. Always a popular draw for aviation enthusiasts, industry visitors and the general public, Emirates’ latest generation Airbus A380 will be decorated in blue livery, representing the ‘mobility’ theme of Expo 2020, and spreading awareness about the world’s greatest show which will be hosted for the first time in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asian region. Expo 2020 Dubai will be held between October 20, 2020 and April 10, 2021. Adil Al Ghaith, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Gulf, Middle East & Central Asia for Emirates said, “The Expo 2020 ‘mobility’ themed Emirates A380 being showcased during the Aviation Show demonstrates our long-standing commitment and contribution to Kuwait’s air transport sector, which is investing in development projects and progressively positioning itself for future growth. It also highlights the importance of air connectivity and mobility as a facilitator of trade, tourism and strong relations between Kuwait and the UAE.” Emirates has been serving Kuwait for 30 years, and today operates to the country’s capital with 6 daily flights, providing business and leisure travellers with choice and connectivity to over 150 global destinations. The airline also operates its latest world-class products to Kuwait, including its latest Boeing 777-300ER aircraft fitted with the ‘Game Changer’ First Class suites. Anticipated to be popular with aviation enthusiasts as well as the general public, the Emirates A380 will feature 14 …

Emirates announced the signing of a full purchase agreement for 30 Boeing 787-9 aircraft, worth US$ 8.8 billion at list prices, at Dubai Airshow 2019. Under its agreement with Boeing, Emirates has exercised its right to substitute the B777x with B787s. This deal includes Boeing 787 Dreamliners, with deliveries commencing in May 2023 and continuing for the next five years. For the B777x, Emirates will enter into discussions with Boeing over the next few weeks on the status of deliveries, taking Emirates’ total order with Boeing to 126 aircraft. HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Emirates Chairman & Chief Executive signed the agreement with Stanley Deal, President and Chief Executive Officer for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The latest US$ 16 billion Airbus A350 order takes the total value of Emirates’ firm aircraft commitments at the 2019 Dubai Airshow to US$ 24.8 billion. HH Sheikh Ahmed said, “This is an important investment and addition to our future fleet and network requirements, providing us with the agility, flexibility, and spread of seat segments when it comes to the overall capacity to serve a range of destinations as we develop and grow our global route network. Our Boeing fleet is the key to our business model to serve international demand for travel to and through our Dubai hub, as we continue to contribute to the UAE’s strategy to become a global destination for business and tourism by providing high-quality air connectivity.”

Emirates’ first remote check-in terminal was opened to provide seamless connections for cruise passengers. The Emirates check-in counters, located at Port Rashid, will allow passengers who are disembarking from their cruise ships to check-in for their onward Emirates flight at the same facility. The new service will further enhance Dubai’s position as a premier international cruise destination and provides greater convenience for Emirates customers. With complimentary flight check-in facilities located at the same location as their cruise disembarkation point, customers will have the convenience of exploring Dubai without their luggage before heading directly to the airport for their flight. The Emirates check-in facility at Port Rashid will have eight counters where Emirates staff will check-in customers’ luggage and issue boarding passes up to 4 hours before flight departure. The facility will be open during the sailing period from October to April. In the next 6 months, 198 cruise ships are expected to dock at Port Rashid where approximately 280,000 passengers will have onward Emirates flights. Mohammed Mattar, Divisional Senior Vice President, Emirates Airport Services said, “We are committed to providing a seamless and hassle-free travel journey for our customers. With the increasing popularity of Dubai as a cruise tourism destination, we have ensured that every touchpoint in our customer journey for this important traveller segment is thoughtfully served. Our first remote check-in facility at Port Rashid will allow cruise passengers with onward flights the freedom to explore Dubai during their short transit.”

Emirates will be hosting the International Air Transport Association (IATA) inaugural Global Accessibility Symposium, taking place in Dubai from November 5-6, 2019. The IATA Global Accessibility Symposium furthers the commitment of the resolution on passengers with disabilities which was made at the IATA Annual General Meeting in Seoul in June 2019. The resolution aims to improve the air travel experience for the estimated one billion people living with disabilities worldwide by encouraging governments, airlines, airports, and stakeholders across the aviation industry to work together to ensure access to a safe, reliable and dignified travel experience. The invitation-only event will include keynotes, panel discussions and fireside chats that will tackle a wide variety of accessibility topics. Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline said, “Emirates employs every effort to make air travel as comfortable and as seamless as possible for our customers, especially for those with special needs and disabilities. It is apt for the first IATA symposium on this important issue to be held in Dubai, as it’s the city’s aim to become one of the world’s most accessible cities for People of Determination and Emirates is proud to play a role to help advance this dialogue.” Alexandre de Juniac, Director General and CEO of IATA said, “The unanimous resolution by our airline members in June was a clear indication that the industry is committed to improving the air travel experience for passengers with disabilities. The Global Accessibility Symposium marks a renewed and stronger dialogue between industry, advocacy groups, regulators and the travellers themselves.” As the host city of the first IATA Global Accessibility Symposium and the hub for Emirates Airline, Dubai is moving forward with its mission in becoming …

Emirates airline has announced key appointments and rotations in its global commercial operations, positioning it to better serve customers across its global network, and respond with agility to dynamic market opportunities. Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer said “The commercial organisation is responsible for delivering on our top-line results, which last year was close to AED 100 billion. It’s a testimony to the bench strength within the organisation. I am confident that the team is well placed to deliver the best possible support to our customers, and to deliver on our business strategy, targets, and future growth.” All the appointments are effective from 1 October 2019 and appointees will be reporting to Adnan Kazim. Salem Obaidalla, currently Senior VP Aeropolitical & Industry Affairs, will take over as Senior VP Commercial Operations Americas; Adil Al Ghaith, currently Senior VP Commercial Operations Gulf, Middle East & Iran, will take on additional responsibility for UAE and Oman; Orhan Abbas, currently Senior VP Commercial Operations Africa, will take over as Senior VP Commercial Operations Far East; Badr Abbas, currently Senior VP Commercial Operations Far East, will take over as Senior VP Commercial Operations Africa; Thierry Aucoc, currently Senior VP Commercial Operations Europe & Russian Federation, will take on additional responsibility for Germany and UK; Ahmed Khoory, Senior VP Commercial Operations West Asia & Indian Ocean, retains his current portfolio. With this latest announcement, Emirates’ Commercial team now has 42 UAE nationals in key leadership roles. More than 75 per cent of them have been with the company for over 10 years, and most have gone through the Emirates Commercial Trainee programme for graduates and progressed their careers through various roles in the company.

Emirates will be operating its A380 service to Cairo International Airport on October 2, 2019, making it the first scheduled commercial airline to operate an A380 flight into Egypt. With the intent to make the world’s largest commercial passenger jet a part of the airline’s scheduled service to Cairo, this inaugural flight will re-affirm the airport’s infrastructure readiness ahead of regular A380 operations. The Emirates A380 service will operate as EK 927 and EK 928, departing Dubai at 08:15 hrs and arriving in Cairo at 10:00 hrs. The flight will depart Cairo at 13:15 hrs arriving in Dubai at 18:45 hrs on the same day. All timings are local. Adel Al Redha, Chief Operating Officer, Emirates, said, “Our close relationship with Egypt spans over 30 years and we reaffirm our commitment to the country by operating our iconic A380 to Cairo. We are setting the stage to make the popular A380 experience a part of our scheduled service to Cairo. We are confident that Egyptian travellers will enjoy the Emirates A380 experience, especially our innovative products such as the onboard lounge and shower spa.”

Emirates is partnering with Emaar and enhancing its presence at The Dubai Mall to connect to a broad local and international audience through interactive brand experiences like the Emirates A380 Simulator Experience and KidZania, and new Emirates Official Store retail experiences across different visitor touchpoints and shopping environments. Ultimately, the larger goal is to excite visitors across all ages by delivering a memorable, tangible piece of Emirates and tell the brand story through unique experiences and innovative travel products. The Emirates A380 Experience, the region’s only public A380 flight simulator has now been relocated to the second floor of The Dubai Mall, adjacent to the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo. Aviation enthusiasts, amateurs testing their flying abilities and those curious about the full experience of flying an A380, can take command of the cockpit for take-off, cruising and landing at thousands of international airports, including every airport in Emirates’ global network. A qualified instructor will be on hand to guide customers through the full experience. A variety of packages are available, starting from 15 minute sessions all the way to 45 minute experiences. Shoppers at The Dubai Mall will soon also be able to find Emirates Official Store products at multiple locations popular with visitors looking to discover the Mall’s iconic attractions. Families coming to KidZania will be able to shop Emirates Official Store products at the venue’s entrance, with a range of kids and toddlers Arsenal and Real Madrid kits, cabin crew uniforms and wooden airport sets. Emirates’ best-selling A380 aircraft model in the Expo Dubai 2020 livery will also be available for purchase.

Emirates is once again pushing the boundaries of technology, becoming the first airline outside America to receive approval for biometric boarding from the US Customs Border Protection (CBP). Soon, customers flying from Dubai to any of Emirates’ 12 destinations in the US will be able to choose facial recognition technology at the departure gates, reducing the time taken for identity checks to two seconds or less. No pre-registration is required, and customers may also choose not to use the technology. Emirates does not store any biometric records of its customers – all the data is managed securely by CBP. The technology was piloted at the departure gates of Emirates’ flights from Dubai to New York and Los Angeles through the peak periods in July and August. The airline expects to make biometric boarding available for all its US destinations by year-end, once the equipment is in place.  Dr Abdulla Al Hashimi, Divisional Senior Vice President, Emirates Group Security, said, “Biometric boarding is one more step in streamlining processes at our hub using digital technology, saving our customers time and giving them peace of mind.” John Wagner, Deputy Executive Assistant Commission, Office of Field Operations, US Customs and Border Protection, said, “By comparing a traveller’s face to their passport or visa photo that was previously provided for the purpose of travel, we have streamlined identity verification that further secures and enhances the customer experience.”