Tag Archives: Emirates

Ahead of the new year, flydubai launched two new routes to Europe. Flights to Krakow will start on April 8, 2018 and flights to Catania will begin on June 13, 2018. flydubai becomes the first UAE carrier to operate direct flights to these destinations, offering weekly flights. With the launch of these new European routes, the airline’s network grows to over 100 destinations in 47 countries. Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO, flydubai, said, “With the launch of flights to Krakow and Catania, flydubai is committed to open up new direct air links to Dubai. Our latest route launches are testament to that commitment which demonstrate our efforts in offering our passengers more options to explore our network.” Emirates will codeshare on both routes and as part of the Emirates-flydubai partnership, each airline’s passengers will have the opportunity to connect in Dubai to hundreds of destinations across the world. To offer passengers more comfort and an enhanced travel experience, the carrier will operate the new routes on its brand-new Boeing 737 MAX 8 unveiled at the Dubai Airshow in November.

Emirates and Thales have signed a new agreement to equip its Boeing 777X fleet with the next generation broadband inflight connectivity using Inmarsat GX global network. The partnership will give Emirates’ customers the best-in-class connectivity due for delivery in 2020. Emirates and Thales already have an existing multi-million dollar deal to fit its Boeing 777X fleet with a next generation Thales AVANT inflight entertainment system. The new agreement is part of the Emirates and Thales’ plans to enhance the state-of-the-art inflight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC) on the 777X fleet. Emirates offers all its customers 20MB of complimentary Wi-Fi data on board while Emirates Skywards members in First Class and Business Class enjoy unlimited complimentary Wi-Fi and discounted plans in Economy Class. Emirates, Thales and Inmarsat will work together to meet the increasing demand for Wi-Fi on board. Broadband connectivity speeds coupled with Thales’ AVANT innovative and customisable IFE system will further boost Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment system.

Emirates announced that it will reinstate its second daily service to Lagos and resume operations to Nigeria’s capital city, Abuja, with four weekly flights from December 15. The added frequencies to Lagos will be operated with Emirates’ Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, offering eight private suites in First Class, 42 lie-flat seats in Business Class and 310 spacious seats in Economy Class. “As Nigeria is a key market for Emirates, we will add 11 weekly flights between Dubai and two major cities in Nigeria, Abuja and Lagos. This highlights our commitment to providing travellers in Nigeria with not only the very latest in aircraft innovations but also increased connectivity,” said Orhan Abbas, Emirates Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Africa. The added Lagos flight EK781 will depart Dubai every day at 03:55hrs and arrive in Lagos at 09:05hrs. The return flight EK782 will depart Lagos at 12:40hrs and arrive in Dubai at 22:55hrs.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai joined officials from Emirates airline and Boeing to witness the signing of a US$15.1 billion commitment to purchase 40 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners. Emirates is already the world’s largest Boeing 777 operator and the airline will be first to receive the new 777X in 2020. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates airline, said, “Emirates’ orders today will be delivered from 2022, taking the airline well into the 2030s. Some of these will be replacements so that we maintain a young and efficient fleet, and others will power our future network growth. Today’s announcement also speaks to our confidence in the future of aviation in the UAE and the region.” The 787-10 Dreamliner is the newest and longest member of the super-efficient 787 family. Boeing says it offers 10 per cent better fuel and emissions than competitive aircraft in the sector.

The first day of the Dubai Airshow kicked off with Emirates’ President Tim Clark unveiling the latest partnership with Mercedes Benz in one-of-a-kind fully enclosed private suites. With floor to ceiling sliding doors and sleek design features inspired by the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Emirates’ new suites take luxury and privacy to the next level. Offering 0up to 40 sq ft of personal space each, these spacious, fully-enclosed private suites are laid out in a 1-1-1 configuration. The latest Emirates 777 aircraft boasts of a multi-million dollar upgrade that includes newly-designed seats and upgraded inflight entertainment systems in all cabins. Clark said, “The inflight experience is the heart of our brand and service proposition. The new 777 interiors that we are unveiling today is part of Emirates’ ongoing investment to continually exceed our customers’ expectations. Our Business Class features latest fully-flat leather seats with personal minibars while the Economy Class seats have adjustable full leather headrests.”

Emirates’ first Boeing 777-300ER aircraft fitted with its first-class product will operate from Dubai to the airline’s Belgian and Swiss destinations from December 1. The new cabin will feature six private suites laid out in a 1-1-1 layout, compared to the eight private suites in a 1-2-1 layout on its existing 777 fleet. Prior to entering commercial service, the first Emirates aircraft to feature the new private suites will be on display at the Dubai Airshow from November 12-16, following a product reveal on the first day of the show. Operating as one of the two daily flights from Dubai to Geneva, travellers can enjoy the new product on flight EK083 departing Dubai at 14:50hrs, arriving in Geneva at 18:55hrs. The return flight leaves Geneva at 20:40hrs, arriving at Dubai International Airport at 06:05hrs on the following day. For travellers heading to or from Belgium, the new product will be available on flight EK183 which leaves Dubai at 08:20hrs, arriving in Brussels at 12:45hrs. The return flight leaves Brussels at 14:35hrs, arriving at Emirates Terminal Three in Dubai at 00:15hrs on the following day.

The partnership between Emirates and flydubai announced 16 additional destinations to which Emirates’ passengers can travel on a single ticket. The new, expanded network includes destinations such as Zanzibar, Kathmandu and Kilimanjaro. Travellers can book on Emirates.com, through Emirates’ contact centres or via travel agents, commencing from November 8. Emirates President Tim Clark said, “We are thrilled with the positive response from travellers. Nearly 14,000 sectors have been ticketed during the first week of operation. We have witnessed strong demand for travel from Europe and the United States to South Asian destinations.” The new codeshare destinations include Bratislava (Slovakia), Chittagong (Bangladesh), Djibouti, (Djibouti), Dushanbe (Tajikistan), Hargeisa (Somalia), Istanbul – Sabiha Gokcen (Turkey), Kathmandu (Nepal), Kilimanjaro (Tanzania), Mattala Rajapaksa (Sri Lanka), Makhachkala (Russia), Podgorica (Montenegro), Sylhet (Bangladesh), Ufa (Russia), Voronezh (Russia), Yerevan (Armenia) and Zanzibar (Tanzania). Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer, flydubai, said, “Today’s announcement will allow keen travellers to discover another 16 destinations as well as enjoy the unique personality of each airline.”

Emirates celebrated the milestone delivery of its 100th Airbus A380 aircraft at a special ceremony with Airbus at the manufacturer’s delivery centre in Hamburg. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Emirates’ Chairman and Chief Executive officiated the ceremony. Ahmed said, “This is a tremendous moment for Emirates, for Airbus and our many partners involved in the A380 programme. There is no doubt that the A380 has had a big positive impact on aerospace manufacturing and the broader aviation industry, supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs and stimulating innovation and new product development in many related areas such as ground handling, catering, airport facilities and cabin products, to name a few.” The unique livery will feature a customised decal of UAE’s founding father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, marking the airline’s first initiative for the ‘Year of Zayed’, which commences in 2018, coinciding with the centennial of the birth of Zayed. A total of ten Emirates aircraft, five Airbus A380s and five Boeing 777-300ERs will carry the special livery. The aircraft will carry the distinctive decal of HH Sheikh Zayed beginning in November 2017 and throughout 2018.

Emirates is set to add an extra daily flight to its service between Dubai and Algiers from December 13. The new flight will depart Dubai as EK757 at 8:10hrs and arrive in Algiers at 12:40hrs. The return flight EK758 will depart Algiers at 15:10hrs and arrive in Dubai at 00:40hrs on the following day. The launch of the additional flight will complement Emirates’ current six flights a week, and further boost inbound and outbound passenger traffic and cargo flows between Algeria and Dubai. The new service will operate every Wednesday with an Emirates Boeing 777-300, in a three-class configuration offering eight seats in First Class, 42 in Business Class and 310 in Economy Class. “We are pleased to introduce an additional service to Algiers which will offer our customers even more choice and convenience to connect to Dubai and onward destinations particularly in the Middle East, Far East, West Asia, Indian Ocean and Australia,” said Orhan Abbas, Emirates Senior Vice-President Commercial Operations for Africa.

In a bid to celebrate Bahrain’s 46th National Day, a special one-off A380 service by Emirates will be operated on December 15, 2017- EK 835 and EK 836, departing from Dubai at 12:55hrs and arriving in Bahrain at 1:10hrs. The flight will then depart from Bahrain at 3:50hrs and arriving in Dubai at 6:05hrs. The Emirates A380 flying to Bahrain will be set in a two-class configuration, featuring 58 flatbed seats in Business Class and 120 Economy Class seats on the upper deck with another 437 seats in Economy Class on the lower deck. Premium class passengers travelling on the A380 can experience Emirates’ Onboard Lounge where they can socialise, network and enjoy complimentary beverages, canapés and other special delicacies. Emirates has been flying to Bahrain since 2000, developing its operations by increasing its services based on growing demand, and today operates four daily flights to the Kingdom, connecting Bahraini travellers to over 150 global destinations, including key commercial and leisure centres in Europe, the US and Far East.