The highly anticipated Emirates Dubai 7s, part of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, is set to take place over the 51st UAE National Day weekend from Thursday 1st to Saturday 3rd December. The first day of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series will take place on Friday, and will be celebrated by a breath-taking Emirates Airline A380 flypast at 4pm. Tickets for Friday’s event are available at https://dubairugby7s.com The 2022 edition of the rugby festival will deliver an amplified experience for all in attendance with additional entertainment stands and activations for children and young adults, including a new Hops & Food Market, the invitational team party tent, as well as a new stage called ‘The House’. With over 100,000 fans expected to attend this year’s festival, fans and visitors can look forward to an exciting weekend of music alongside the rugby action on Pitch 1 and 2. Children of all ages are in for a treat with a series of fun activities across three Kids Zones that will be available throughout the festival from 9am – 7pm, including arts and crafts, meet and greets with cartoon characters, bumper cars, face-painting, go-karting car racing, inflatable parks, and more. Kids under 12 even get complimentary access to the Emirates Dubai 7’s. From entertainment crews roaming around the venue to interactive setups and different genres of music playing from popular DJs across all zones at the festival, the entertainment options are endless for each member of the family. Fans and ticketholders visiting on Friday can enjoy thrilling rugby matches across two pitches kicking off at 9am with Ireland competing against Spain in women’s Pool C as well as an exclusive concert by …
Read More »Emirates Airline expects to invest AED 100 million over next three years as part of retail strategy
Emirates officially opened its ‘Emirates World’ retail store experience in the heart of Jumeirah, one of Dubai’s most vibrant communities. Located in Jumeirah Town Centre, the airline’s redesigned 3,000 square foot retail store is an open and fluid space for customers to shop for all of their travel needs in a lounge-like environment. It will also offer customers the ability to literally immerse themselves in Emirates’ signature products via VR/ AR technologies. Emirates World was officially inaugurated with a special ribbon cutting by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group. Also in attendance was Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline, Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer, senior Emirates commercial and sales executives, in addition to government representatives, industry guests, corporate customers and members of the media. Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer said: “Emirates World sets a new standard for the travel retail store experience and embodies our commitment to provide customers best-in-class products and services across every touchpoint. The opening of this latest concept store is an expression of our retail vision for the future and marks the first of several stores we’ll be opening in the coming years across our network. It’s also part of our larger retail strategy to make the store experience more convenient, engaging and personal. We’ll employ a mix of the latest technology coupled with personalised one-to-one service from our highly knowledgeable travel consultants. Our open, welcoming, and functional space will also allow customers to discover our products like Premium Economy seats, in addition to a host of other elegantly displayed experiences.” The Emirates World store features a free-flowing open floor plan that allows customers …
Read More »Emirates and flydubai celebrate five years of partnership
This month marks five years since Emirates and flydubai activated their extensive partnership and joined forces to offer customers unrivalled travel options to every corner of the globe. They’ve certainly delivered on their promise. The carriers’ joint route network has significantly expanded, enabling more than 11 million customers to connect on over 250,000 flights and benefit from seamless travel since the partnership launched in 2017. The innovative partnership goes beyond the standard codesharing model and today includes integrated network collaboration, schedule optimisation, seamless connectivity at Dubai International airport (DXB) between Terminals 2 and 3, baggage transfers on a single itinerary, as well as reciprocal loyalty benefits under the joint loyalty programme, Emirates Skywards. Here’s five key highlights of Emirates and flydubai’s partnership and the benefits it offers to customers: Joint network offers unrivalled choice: Today, customers have access to 215 destinations across 98 countries, with over 250 codeshare flights to choose from on an average day. Emirates customers can book flights to over 80 unique flydubai destinations and flydubai customers can choose from over 99 Emirates destinations. Popular customer favourites, whether travelling for business or leisure include: Kathmandu, Kuwait, the Maldives, Tel Aviv, and Zanzibar. Joint loyalty programme maximising customer rewards: More than 8.5 million members have been able to enjoy joint Emirates and flydubai frequent flyer programme benefits, earning 150 billion Skywards Miles in the last five years through the partnership. Seamless connectivity at DXB: Customers enjoy seamless check-in, efficient baggage transfers, passenger access to Emirates’ lounges at Terminal 3 and the flydubai lounge at Terminal 2, reduced connection times as both airlines expand their flight schedules, and convenient connections to 33 flydubai destinations operated from Emirates Terminal …
Read More »Emirates to operate double daily direct flights to Colombo from 1 December
Emirates has announced plans to add an additional daily direct flight between Dubai and Colombo, starting from 1 December 2022, to cater to the seasonal increase in the demand for travel. The additional service, operating as EK648/EK649, will increase the number of daily flights between the two cities to three, including two direct flights and one operating via the Maldivian capital, Male. Emirates’ second daily flight will operate direct between Dubai and Colombo, except during 16 to 30 December, when the service from Dubai to Colombo will stop over in Male. From 1 to 15 December and from 31 December to 26 March, EK648 will depart Dubai at 16:10hrs daily and arrive in Colombo at 21:55hrs, all times local. Flight EK648 will be routed via Male from 16th to 30th December, and will during that period, depart Dubai at 10.30hrs and arrive in Male at 14.45hrs. It will then depart from Male at 17.15hrs and arrive in Colombo at 19.15hrs. Throughout the period from 1 December to 26 March, flight EK649 is scheduled to depart Colombo at 02:55hrs and arrive in Dubai at 05:55hrs. *All times are local. Emirates operates its modern Boeing 777-300ER aircraft in a three-class configuration on flights to Colombo, offering private suites in First Class, lie flat seats in Business Class and spacious seats in Economy Class. Travellers to and from Sri Lanka benefit from Emirates’ award-winning service and industry-leading products in the air and on the ground across all classes, with regionally-inspired dishes and complimentary beverages and the airline’s ice inflight entertainment system which offers up to 5,000 channels of on-demand entertainment in over 40 languages, including movies, TV shows, and an extensive musical library …
Read More »Excitement builds with Emirates Dubai 7s ready to welcome 5,500 athletes from 32 countries
In a boost to Dubai’s proposition as the place to be this winter season, some 5,500 athletes from 32 countries will soon arrive to compete in 28 Emirates Dubai 7s invitational tournaments over the long UAE national day weekend starting 1st December. Emirates has been a steadfast supporter of the Dubai 7s since its beginnings, which today has become the highlight of the Dubai event calendar, and the biggest and most popular sports and social gathering among the hundreds of other events hosted in the UAE every year. Over 420 sports teams will play in high-powered competitions spanning rugby 7’s, cricket, netball, and the annual festival’s newest addition, a fitness competition, WODON3, geared for both elite and amateur athletes looking to push their limits. The HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series usually kicks off its season at the Emirates Dubai 7s with some of the world’s best male and female pro-rugby players from 28 countries with top-ranking and Olympic winning teams participating, including Australia & Fiji as well as Dubai fan favourites South Africa, Ireland & Great Britain, all set to compete on the pitch. At the Emirates Dubai 7s, rugby action isn’t be limited to professional players. The truly inclusive event will also host International Invitational and Open Tournaments for Men & Women as well as Social, Vets for the over 35s and Under 19 Boys competitions while the best teams from across the Gulf Region will battle it out for the Gulf Men’s League, Open, Social, Vets, Women, U19 Boys and Girls, and the UAE National Development Cup, created exclusively for Emirati players. These 16 additional events will be played across the three days at The Sevens Stadium. On …
Read More »Emirates flags a month-long busy travel period in late November to late December 2022
As the region busies itself with winter visitors, iconic sporting events, UAE National Day and the upcoming festive season, Emirates is highlighting a busy travel period for both inbound and outbound travel through Dubai for the next month, and recommending passengers arrive to the airport 3 hours in advance of their flight, as well as taking advantage of multiple services that enhance seamless travel. From the 19th of November onwards, Dubai will begin to see a surge in inbound traffic, including visitors for the myriad of winter events like those attending the 2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this weekend, travellers headed to Doha for football matches, and those arriving for the Emirates Dubai 7s which is set to welcome 5,500 athletes from 32 countries. UAE National Day will also see a high level of outbound travel as UAE residents enjoy the long weekend, and from December 16 onwards, Emirates is expecting the seasonal super outbound peak for the festive period. In addition to arriving to the airport up to 3 hours before a flight, passengers are advised to take advantage of digital check-in, home and remote check-in options, smart gates and handy luggage drop services. Passengers are encouraged to download the Emirates app on their mobile phone to get all their flight details at their fingertips. Users can book and change flights, download a digital boarding pass for most destinations, check what meals will be served onboard, book their chauffeur drive service and even pre-select and plan movies to watch via the ice inflight entertainment. All passengers can check-in online 48 hours ahead of their flight using the online check-in option on www.emirates.com. In a few clicks, they can select …
Read More »Global Airline Emirates Selects Uplift as Buy Now Pay Later Solution
Emirates has announced an exclusive partnership with Uplift, the leading enterprise Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) solution serving the world’s top travel and retail brands, to benefit its U.S. and Canadian customers. Passengers booking flights on Emirates can now spread the cost of their travel over time with simple, affordable monthly installments through Uplift. The Emirates story started in 1985 offering customers the comforts of the latest and most efficient wide-body aircraft in the skies. Emirates inspires travelers around the world with its growing network of worldwide destinations, industry leading inflight entertainment, regionally inspired cuisine, and world-class service. Connecting the world to its global hub in Dubai, Emirates offers award-winning service to customers across six continents every day. Available now, Emirates passengers can make their getaway dreams a reality by utilizing Uplift’s pay over time monthly installments, rather than paying in full at booking. Customers will see the total cost of their trip upfront allowing customers to see how an upgraded travel experience in Emirates’ Business class, for example, can be accessible for only a slight increase to the monthly payment. With Uplift there are no fees including no late fees or prepayment penalties and travel can happen before customers complete their payments. “As the world’s largest international airline, we are thrilled to offer flexible payment solutions, making worldwide travel available to more customers. Providing convenient payment options is one of the ways we are delivering on our customer-centric approach in everything we do,” said Essa Sulaiman Ahmad, Emirates’ Divisional Vice President for USA and Canada. “Through our research and discovery, we selected Uplift as our BNPL solution provider in North America due to their deep knowledge of travel and …
Read More »Emirates and GDRFA sign landmark biometric data agreement to fast-track international visitor processing at Dubai Airport
In collaboration with the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA), Emirates airline is now offering international travellers the opportunity to speed up their airport experience by consenting to the use of biometric data. The agreement was signed by His Excellency Lieutenant General Mohamed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General of GDRFA in Dubai, and Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ Chief Operating Officer, in the presence of several senior officials from both sides. The first agreement of its kind globally, the strategic partnership between GDRFA and Emirates is a cooperative effort to further improve the innovative and digitally focused travel experience of Dubai visitors. The agreement improves passenger traffic procedures inside Dubai International Airport Terminal 3 and ensures a faster and more efficient airport experience for travellers transferring to connecting flights, as well as those who arrive in Dubai as their final destination. Commenting on how the agreement will develop best-in-class services for travellers, His Excellency Lieutenant-General Mohammed Al-Marri said: “Dubai is one of the world’s most aspirational destinations, and 2022 has already seen more than 8 million tourists arrive to the city. We continue to support our key partners with best-in-class services as we strive for excellence, and innovation in positioning Dubai as the world’s leading business hub and tourism destination’ Highlighting the importance and value of this agreement, Adel Al Redha said: “Emirates continually invests to improve customer experience and we thank the GDFRA for extending the bridges of cooperation, communication and coordination to add value to Emirates’ services and allow our international passengers to Fly Better.” By using biometric recognition technologies and the GDRFA pre-populated biometric database to identify travellers at multiple points in the airport, …
Read More »Emirates and Gulf Air launch codeshare partnership
Emirates and Gulf Air signed a unilateral codeshare partnership, starting this December*. The new agreement will offer easy connections and expanded choices for Gulf Air customers connecting to Dubai and onwards to a host of Emirates destinations across Europe, Africa, South America and the Far East. The agreement was signed on the first day of the Bahrain Airshow, signalling a growing relationship between both airlines following on the framework of cooperation established last year. The agreement was signed by Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline and Gulf Air’s Chief Executive Officer Captain Waleed Al Alawi in the presence of H.E. Mr. Zayed R. Alzayani, Gulf Air’s Chairman of the Board of Directors. The signing ceremony was also attended by members of each airline’s executive management teams. The expanded partnership will see Gulf Air place their marketing code “GF” on Emirates operated flights beyond Dubai to a selection of some of the most attractive global tourism hotspots, offering new holiday options for Gulf Air customers. Travellers will be able to connect to points including Budapest, Prague, Warsaw, Algeria, Tunis, Bali, Hanoi, HoChi Minh City, Taipei and Sao Paulo. The new codeshare agreement’s mix of unique points comes as travellers from the GCC have become more well-informed, value-driven and savvy, increasingly looking for new, diverse experiences and attractions beyond their traditional holiday destinations. The new partnership will also offer customers the convenience of combined ticketing and check-in, a unified policy and seamless transfers for baggage, and competitive single fares on a multi-airline journey when connecting on Emirates. Customers can book their travel on Gulf Air’s website, through Gulf Air point of sales and online travel agencies as well as with local travel …
Read More »Emirates boosts Latin American network with the return to Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires
Emirates has resumed its flights to two South American destinations, Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires, which were previously suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Flight EK247, operated with a Boeing 777 aircraft, received warm welcomes on its journey into Brazil and Argentina on Wednesday. Rio de Janeiro’s RIOgaleão organized a traditional water cannon salute to mark the airline’s return to the Brazilian city. Passengers and crew were greeted with samba dancers who put on a lively cultural performance in the presence of the airport’s management team. Emirates executives Salem Obaidalla, Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations, Americas; and Stephane Perard, Manager for Brazil marked the resumption of the Dubai-Rio de Janeiro-Buenos Aires route with a symbolic ribbon-cutting before boarding the flight for Buenos Aires. In Buenos Aires’ Ezeiza’s Ministro Pistarini International Airport, flight EK247 was met by Argentinian officials including Alexis Raúl Guerrera, Minister of Transport; Matías Lammens, Minister of Tourism; Paola Tamburelli, Director of Civil Aviation; Sebastian Villar Guarino, General Manager Ezeiza Airport, amongst other members of the airport’s management team; Oscar Suarez, Director of International Markets, IMPROTUR and H.E. Saeed Abdulla Saif Joula Alqemzi, Ambassador of the UAE to the Republic of Argentina. The welcome event in Buenos Aires was marked by a dramatic tango dance performance, courtesy of Argentina Tourism Board (INPROTUR). With the resumption of services to Argentina, which was first launched in 2012, Emirates has restored over 90% of its pre-pandemic network, comprising over 130 destinations including Dubai. The four-times weekly flights from Dubai to Rio de Janeiro with onwards service to Buenos Aires will operate as EK247/EK248. EK247 departs from Dubai four times a week at 08:05 and lands in Rio de Janeiro …
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