Global Travel Management | Business Travel Specialists

Emirates enhances Jeddah airport experience with new dedicated lounge

15, July 2024/in News /by Dave

Emirates has officially opened its first lounge in the region outside Dubai at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, marking a significant milestone in its 35-year service to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Located in the newly constructed Terminal 1, the 900 sq m lounge represents a substantial investment of USD$5.4 million.

**Premium Experience**: elegant and spacious seating areas offer a variety of comfortable options for relaxation and dining

It will cater to First and Business Class passengers, as well as Emirates Skywards Platinum and Gold members, with a capacity of over 190 guests. This lounge aims to enhance the travel experience for those flying on Emirates’ triple daily A380 services.

Mohammed Mattar, Divisional Senior Vice President Airport Services at Emirates, stated,

Jeddah was our first gateway into the Kingdom 35 years ago, so it’s fitting that the King Abdulaziz International Airport, a world-class facility is the first airport in the region outside of Dubai to feature an Emirates dedicated lounge.
The lounge is beautifully designed to deliver an industry-leading experience and Emirates’ signature hospitality for our customers from the moment they step inside. We thank the airport authorities for their support in helping us open our doors to officially welcome customers and provide them with a memorable travel experience on the ground.

The lounge’s opening was attended by prominent figures, including His Excellency Nasser Huwaiden Al Ketbi, Consul General of UAE in Jeddah, His Excellency Engr. Raed bin Ibrahim Al-Mudaiheem, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Jeddah Airports Company (JEDCO), and other senior officials from Emirates and JEDCO.

Eng. Mazen Johar, CEO of JEDCO, remarked,

The launch of Emirates lounge at King Abdulaziz International Airport reflects the 35-year-long strategic relationship of providing multiple travel options to passengers through the airline’s three daily flights. The lounge is a significant addition to the airport’s services and supports the comprehensive development efforts at the airport, aimed at providing an enjoyable and seamless travel experience for passengers from all over the world.

The lounge features a modern and sophisticated design, blending contemporary elements with regional influences. It offers a range of seating options, from dining and lounging areas to quiet spaces for relaxation. Amenities include luxurious shower facilities, a prayer room, and a variety of dining options.

The buffet offers an array of Middle Eastern, local, and international dishes, including Lamb Kabsa, Spinach and Ricotta Tortellini, Moroccan Lemon Chicken, Prawn Machbous, Saint Sebastian Cheesecake and Tiramisu cake.

Conveniently situated on the third floor of Terminal 1’s Departure area, the lounge is just a 10-minute walk from the terminal entrance and a 3-5-minute walk to boarding gates A28B and A38B, where Emirates’ three daily flights depart.

This new lounge is part of Emirates’ broader network of premium facilities, which includes seven lounges at Dubai International Airport and 32 others worldwide.

Emirates has been a pivotal player in facilitating trade in Saudi Arabia since 1989. Currently, the airline operates more than 70 weekly flights to four Saudi gateways – Riyadh, Jeddah, Medina and Dammam.

For more information about this new lounge or to discuss your business travel needs, please contact your Global Travel Management Account Manager.

Celebrate International Tea Day with Emirates and Dilmah’s expert tea pairing tips

21, May 2024/in News /by Dave

In celebration of International Tea Day on 21 May, Emirates and their long-standing tea partner, Dilmah, share expert insights into the refined art of food and tea pairing, enhancing the experience for business travellers both onboard and at home.

Tea pairing is a sophisticated sensory experience that explores the interplay between the aromas and flavours of tea and food.

Emirates, serving over 33 million cups of tea annually onboard, provides ample opportunities for passengers to indulge in this culinary delight with a selection of twelve gourmet tea blends.

Emirates encourages its customers to enhance their inflight dining by pairing exquisite teas with their meals or recreating tempting Emirates & Dilmah recipes at home. For those looking to impress guests, these pairings extend to complementary teas or tea-infused cocktails.

Signature Pairings for a Premium Experience

Dilmah’s Breakfast Tea, a bright and full-bodied Ceylon tea, pairs perfectly with rich cheese and egg dishes. First Class passengers can enjoy it with scrambled eggs, chicken chipolatas, beans and crushed chive potatoes, while Business Class offers kale and spinach frittatas with roasted potatoes, spinach and portobello mushrooms. In Premium Economy, the charcuterie plate featuring grilled chicken, air-dried beef and a selection of cheeses pairs beautifully with Dilmah Ceylon Black Tea, and Economy Class passengers can savour it with a cheese omelette and grilled chicken sausage.

Natural Green Tea from Dilmah, known for its mild astringency and sweet finish, complements green salads and seafood. First Class dishes like poached lobster tail and masala prawns or Business Class’s pan-seared salmon trout with beurre blanc sauce are ideal pairings. Premium Economy and Economy Class diners can enjoy it with an antipasti salad. Additionally, First and Business Class travellers can relish Moroccan Mint Green Tea with First Class caviar, citrus tarts or the regional favourite dessert – sticky date pudding.

For a caffeine-free option, Dilmah’s Pure Chamomile Flowers offers an uplifting aroma and delicate flavour that harmonises with apple pie, roast turkey, and chicken dishes. Emirates’ offerings such as vegan zucchini tart in First Class and chicken kebab in saffron sauce in Business Class are excellent matches.

Earl Grey Tea by Dilmah, rich and full-bodied with a hint of bergamot, pairs wonderfully with spicy dishes and dark chocolate. First Class travellers can enjoy it with anda masala, while Business Class passengers may opt for peshawari kebab, finishing off with a chocolate mango tart.

Exclusive Emirates Signature Tea

Emirates Signature Tea by Dilmah, available in First Class and Emirates lounges, boasts rose and almond aromas, balanced with spicy ginger and marigold. This bespoke blend pairs exceptionally well with savoury dishes featuring nuts or leafy vegetables and desserts with chocolate and caramel. First Class passengers can indulge in this exclusive tea with luxurious desserts and artisan chocolates.

Training for Excellence

Emirates Cabin Crew receive specialised training from the Dilmah School of Tea to recommend the best tea pairings to passengers. This training covers sustainable origins, unique flavours, perfect brewing techniques, and enhancing flavour with fresh mint, honey, and lemon.

For over three decades, Emirates has partnered with Dilmah Tea, a family-owned Sri Lankan company and the first producer-owned ethical tea brand globally. Dilmah’s commitment to quality and ethical practices ensures that every cup of tea served onboard is a testament to its natural goodness and unrivalled flavour.

To learn more about Emirates flights, schedules and fares, contact your Global Travel Management Account Manager today.

Emirates takes flight with sustainable aviation fuel at London Heathrow

16, May 2024/in News /by Dave

Emirates, one of the world’s leading airlines, has embarked on a significant step towards sustainability by embracing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to power some of its flights departing from London Heathrow Airport. This marks the first time Emirates will be utilising SAF at Heathrow, underscoring its commitment to reducing carbon emissions and contributing to a more sustainable aviation industry.

Under the collaboration with Shell Aviation, Emirates has taken delivery of over 3,000 metric tonnes of SAF blended with conventional jet fuel at Heathrow. This substantial volume of SAF, to be supplied until the end of summer 2024, represents the largest purchase of SAF by the airline to date. Emirates’ participation in Heathrow’s SAF Incentive Programme ensures the affordability and accessibility of SAF for airlines operating at the airport.

Adel Al Redha, Deputy President and Chief Operations Officer of Emirates Airline, expressed the airline’s enthusiasm for this significant milestone, stating,

Emirates is eager to take this next step in our SAF journey with Shell Aviation and London Heathrow supporting us with this fuel supply arrangement in one of our biggest operations outside of Dubai.

The SAF supplied by Shell Aviation will be integrated into existing airport fuelling infrastructure and aircraft jet engines, adhering to robust reporting methodologies to track and trace its delivery and sustainability attributes. Notably, SAF, in its neat form, has the potential to reduce lifecycle carbon emissions by up to 80% compared to conventional jet fuel.

Raman Ojha, President of Shell Aviation, highlighted the significance of this collaboration, stating,

After our successful collaboration with Emirates to supply SAF to Dubai (DXB) last year, we are pleased to continue our support for their sustainability journey by enabling the airline to decarbonise flights out of the UK.

London Heathrow’s SAF Incentive Programme, launched in 2022, aims to reduce the premium price gap between conventional jet fuel and SAF by approximately 50%, thus accelerating the adoption of sustainable aviation fuels. Ross Baker, Chief Commercial Officer of Heathrow, emphasised the importance of SAF in decarbonising long-haul flights and expressed optimism about supporting the use of up to 155,000 tonnes of SAF at Heathrow this year.

Emirates’ SAF strategy extends beyond Heathrow, with the airline exploring opportunities to utilise SAF wherever available in its network and collaborating on longer-term SAF projects. The airline has already operated flights with SAF from Amsterdam, Paris, Lyon, and Oslo, and plans further collaborations at airports such as Singapore Changi.

Emirates’ commitment to sustainability also extends to its involvement in initiatives like the Solent Cluster in the UK, which focuses on low-carbon investments and aims to establish a Sustainable Aviation Fuel plant capable of producing up to 200,000 tonnes per year by 2032.

For UK-based business travellers interested in exploring sustainable travel options or learning more about Emirates’ flights, contact your Global Travel Management Account Manager.

Notes for Editors:Incorporate direct quotes from Adel Al Redha, Raman Ojha, and Ross Baker.

UK corporate travellers enjoy triple Skywards Miles with IHG Hotels & Resorts and Emirates Skywards collaboration

5, June 2023/in News /by Dave

IHG Hotels & Resorts partners with Emirates Skywards to offer UK business travellers triple Skywards Miles for bookings at IHG properties worldwide, enhancing loyalty rewards and travel experiences.

IHG Hotels & Resorts, the luxury hotel business, has joined forces with Emirates Skywards, the award-winning loyalty program of Emirates and flydubai, to introduce an exclusive limited-time offer tailored to business travelers in the UK. This partnership allows members of IHG One Rewards and Emirates Skywards to earn triple Skywards Miles when booking a stay at any IHG Hotels & Resorts property worldwide.

Business travellers can now take advantage of this exceptional promotion to earn rewards faster. For every eligible charge at participating IHG Hotels & Resorts properties, guests will earn two Miles per $1 USD or local currency equivalent spent.

This offer extends to renowned hotel brands including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton® Hotels & Restaurants, Regent® Hotels & Resorts, Hualuxe™ Hotels and Resorts, Crowne Plaza®, Hotel Indigo®, EVEN™ Hotels, voco™, Holiday Inn®, Holiday Inn Express®, Holiday Inn Club Vacations®, avid™ Hotels, and Vignette™ Collection hotels.

Candlewood Suites®, Staybridge Suites®, Atwell Suites, and The Venetian | The Palazzo Las Vegas will reward guests with 1 mile per $1 USD or local currency equivalent spent on eligible charges.

To take advantage of this offer, business travellers should register and make their hotel bookings by 30 June 2023.

Stays can be enjoyed until 30 September 2023, at any IHG Hotels and Resorts property worldwide.

Business travellers seeking a seamless travel experience will appreciate IHG One Rewards, the global loyalty program offered by IHG Hotels & Resorts. This program is designed to provide members with exceptional value, enhanced benefits, and the flexibility to choose their preferred rewards. With the ability to access a diverse portfolio of 18 brands and over 6,000 hotels worldwide, loyal members can conveniently manage their rewards through the all-new IHG mobile app.

Emirates Skywards, with over 30 million members worldwide, offers an array of attractive rewards for business travellers. From flight tickets on Emirates and partner airlines to flight upgrades, hotel stays, and tickets to exclusive events, Emirates Skywards ensures its members are well-rewarded for their loyalty.

Through the partnership with IHG Hotels & Resorts, Emirates Skywards members can now further enhance their travel experiences and maximize their rewards.

For business travellers based in the UK, the collaboration between IHG Hotels & Resorts and Emirates Skywards presents a compelling opportunity. By earning triple Skywards Miles at various IHG Hotels & Resorts properties worldwide, guests can enjoy a comfortable and rewarding travel experience. Don’t miss out on this limited-time offer; register and book your stay today to unlock a world of possibilities and elevate your corporate travel experience.

Paul Baker of Global Travel Management was impressed with the offer, he said,

For business travellers based in the UK, the collaboration between IHG Hotels & Resorts and Emirates Skywards presents a compelling opportunity.
By earning triple Skywards Miles at various IHG Hotels & Resorts properties worldwide, guests can enjoy a comfortable and rewarding travel experience. Don’t miss out on this limited-time offer; register and book your stay today to unlock a world of possibilities and elevate your corporate travel experience.

Emirates recycles more than 500,000 kg of plastic and glass in one year

23, February 2023/in News /by Dave

Emirates recycled more than 500,000 kilograms of plastic and glass over the course of 2022, by collecting discarded bottles onboard for repurposing. 500,000 kilograms is almost the same weight as a fully loaded Emirates flagship A380 aircraft.

Onboard every flight that lands in Dubai, Emirates Cabin Crew work to separate glass and plastic bottles, before they are sent to a recycling plant in Dubai.

The glass is separated by colour and crushed. This ‘cullet’ or recycled glass that is ready to be re-melted, is then sent to glass manufacturers in the UAE to include in their batch mix for new bottles.

The plastic bottles are cleaned, chopped into flakes, melted into pellets, and sent to manufacturers to make other plastic products.

As a result, Emirates and Emirates Flight Catering divert thousands of kilograms of glass and plastic away from landfill each year.

The glass and plastic recycling initiative onboard was suggested by environmentally conscious Emirates Cabin Crew in 2019, as part of regular webinars and events where they are given a platform to share feedback and encouraged to share innovative ideas to key departments. The proposal was implemented within weeks.

Emirates blankets made from recycled plastic

**Blankets**: Over six years, Emirates blankets have prevented more than 95 million plastic bottles from going to landfill.

For the last six years, Emirates has offered cosy sustainable blankets made from recycled plastic bottles to Economy passengers on long haul flights.

The soft and warm blankets are made from 28 recycled plastic bottles.

The bottles are shredded into plastic chips before being turned into yarn, creating a fleece material.

The fine thread is then woven into soft blankets.

As the largest sustainable blanket programme on board in the airline industry, the manufacturing process of using recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) also reduces energy emissions by around 70%.

Prioritising responsible sourcing

Consuming responsibly is a key environmental focus area for Emirates, who have embedded an environmental requirement in the supplier code of conduct and consider the entire lifecycle of products from the design stage.

For example, wooden tea and coffee stirrers, paper straws and inflight retail bags are made using wood and paper from responsibly managed forests.

Emirates children’s toys made from sustainably sourced material

**Toys**: Each Emirates kids’ backpack is made from 5.5 recycled plastic bottles and each duffle bag is made from 7. The production of the Emirates children’s bags has saved 8 million plastic bottles from landfill.

For Emirates’ youngest customers, the airline’s complimentary toy bags, baby amenity kits and plush toys are also made from recycled plastic bottles and other sustainable materials.

Belt bags, duffle bags and backpacks are designed with specific age groups in mind and are constructed from a yarn that is made from 100% recycled plastic bottles.

The swing tags are made from recycled card, and even the outer cases that the products are shipped in are made from recycled card that can be recycled again.

Emirates reusable onboard amenity kits

**Fire, water, earth, air**: Emirates amenity kits

Emirates’ Premium Economy and Economy Class range of amenity kits are complimentary for customers on long-haul flights, and feature designs that represent the four essential elements of nature – fire, water, earth, and air.

The pouches are reusable and made from washable kraft paper with bespoke art printed in non-toxic soy-based ink. The contents include a selection of durable travel essentials made from environmentally friendly materials.

The toothbrush is made from a combination of wheat straw and plastic, and the socks and eyeshades are made from recycled plastic, in this case, rPET (recycled polyethylene terephthalate).

The packaging used for the dental kit, socks and eyeshades is made from 90% rice paper.

Emirates to expand mainland China operations, resumes passenger services to Shanghai and Beijing

16, January 2023/in News /by Dave

Emirates will ramp up its operations in China ahead of the New Lunar Year in response to strong travel demand, boosting connectivity to its gateways Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing as the country reopens its borders and eases its Covid-related entry restrictions.

*Shanghai: service resumption from 20 January 2023 with twice weekly service, gradually increasing to daily service from 1 March*

Emirates will resume passenger services to Shanghai starting with two weekly flights operated by an Airbus A380 aircraft from 20 January 2023, with EK302 departing from Dubai to Shanghai non-stop and EK303 making a short stop in Bangkok before returning to Dubai. This service will ramp up in frequency to four weekly flights operated by a three-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft from 02 February 2023.

Emirates will further boost its Dubai-Shanghai route from 1 March 2023 with a daily non-stop service.

*Guangzhou: daily nonstop from 1 February 2023*

Emirates currently operates a non-stop flight from Dubai to Guangzhou as EK362, and a return flight from Guangzhou to Dubai via Bangkok as EK363, four times a week.

Starting from 1 February 2023, the airline will increase services between Dubai and Guangzhou with EK362/EK363 operating as daily non-stop flights with the flagship Emirates A380.

*Beijing: service resumption from 15 March 2023*

Operated by a three-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, Emirates’ flight EK308/ EK307 will return to China’s capital city Beijing with a daily non-stop service from Dubai, starting from 15 March 2023.

This will bring the airline’s operations in the market up to 21 weekly flights, providing increased choice and flexibility for business travellers.

Emirates has been serving China for nearly two decades and has established its presence in the Chinese market through strategic partnerships and a continued commitment to the local community throughout the pandemic.

Emirates offers travellers increased connectivity to 24 domestic points via Guangzhou, Beijing and Shanghai, as well as six regional points via Guangzhou through its partnership with China Southern Airline, while simultaneously providing its partner-airline’s customers access to six destinations within the Middle East and Africa regions.

Travellers can also benefit from Emirates’ existing interline agreements with Air China, China Eastern and Cathay Pacific to access even more domestic Chinese cities.

The Emirates A380 experience remains highly sought after by travellers offering fourteen First Class suites, 76 lie-flat seats in Business Class and 426 ergonomically designed seats in Economy Class.

The airline states that “customers travelling to and from Guangzhou can look forward to enjoying its spacious and comfortable cabins, signature products that offer travellers the best experiences in the sky like the Onboard Lounge, First Class suites and Shower Spa. Customers travelling to and from Shanghai and Beijing can benefit from Emirates’ award-winning service and industry-leading products on board the airline’s three-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, which offers eight private suites in First Class, 42 lie flat seats in Business Class and 304 spacious seats in Economy Class”.

The first retrofitted Emirates A380 enters service

9, January 2023/in News /by Dave

The first Emirates A380 to be completely refurbished under the airline’s $2 billion retrofit programme has been deployed today on the Dubai-London Heathrow service, operating as EK003.

Below, you can see a timelapse video of the retrofit work done on A6-EVM, the first of 120 Emirates aircraft to have completed its refurbishment.

Emirates A380 retrofit

Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline said:

Customers will notice the difference the moment they step onboard – the spacious A380 will look and feel even more impressive and comfortable.
With our latest interiors and products, this newly refurbished aircraft elevates our inflight experience in all classes of travel, and enables us to offer more Premium Economy seats to meet customer demand.
I’m particularly proud that this refurbishment work was designed, conducted and completed inhouse at our facilities in Dubai, to the highest standards of quality and safety. It reflects the world-class aviation capabilities and infrastructure that exists within Emirates, and here in the UAE.

*Refreshed: Emirates A380 shower spa includes a hand-stencilled Prosopis cineraria – the ghaf tree – motif*

The fully refreshed A380 features Emirates’ latest products and interiors across all cabins, including 56 Premium Economy class seats on the main deck, and new colour palettes evident in the carpeting and wall panels.

*Comfort: Emirates A380 has a new, lighter colour palette and beautifully-refurbished, leather-clad seating*

On the upper deck, First and Business Class seats sport Emirates’ latest cream-coloured leather upholstery and lighter-toned wood finishing, similar to the airline’s.

Emirates’ signature ghaf tree motif also features prominently throughout the interiors, including hand-stencilled panels in the First Class Shower Spa.

*Onboard Lounge: “sometimes it’s hard to believe you’re on a plane”*

The next Emirates A380 aircraft lined up for its make-over is A6-EUW, and work is expected to be completed by the end of this month.

As the program progresses, engineers will work simultaneously on two aircraft. This means that one aircraft in the fleet will be withdrawn from service every eight days and transferred to Emirates Engineering facilities. By 2024, all 67 A380s assigned for refurbishment will have returned to service. Emirates will then begin work on its 53 Boeing 777s earmarked for this project. The airline expects to complete the programme in 2025.

To deliver the largest known aircraft refurbishment program in aviation history, Emirates recruited 190 new project personnel, and is working with 48 major partners and suppliers who have also hired hundreds of skilled workers.

Teams of engineers and technicians have worked round the clock, taking apart the entire interior of the A380 and refitting the parts again in a carefully planned and tested sequence.

FIFA World Cup matches to be shown live on Emirates flights

18, November 2022/in News /by Dave

Passengers on Emirates flights won’t miss a kick during the FIFA World Cup, thanks to the airline’s award-winning inflight entertainment system ice, which will be livestreaming every game from the tournament.

Passengers will be able to view the World Cup matches live on Sport 24, as well as in the A380 onboard lounges and across dedicated Emirates airport lounges.

*Emirates passengers in all classes can browse the world class entertainment library.*

More than 200 Emirates aircraft are equipped with live TV, featuring dedicated sports channels – Sport 24 and Sport 24 Extra.

From Sunday, 20 November, Emirates passengers will be able to watch all FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ on Sport 24 via ice, including the World Cup Final on 18 December.

Sports 24 also shows live matches from the FA Premier League, UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, and the Asian Football Championship. Sport 24 also airs top international sporting events including the Women’s Rugby World Cup, International Cricket Council Men’s T20 World Cup, the Olympic Games, National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), National Hockey League (NHL), major golf championships, tennis grand slams, plus sailing, horse-racing, and motorsports.

Passengers can view full match schedules in advance and plan their viewing on https://www.emirates.com.

Emirates invests more than $2bn on ‘customer experience’

15, August 2022/in News /by Dave

Emirates is investing more than $2billion to enhance its inflight customer experience, including a massive programme to retrofit more than 120 aircraft with the latest interiors, plus an array of other service improvements across all cabins, starting in 2022.

The President of Emirates Airlines, Sir Tim Clark, said,

Emirates is flying against the grain and investing to deliver ever better experiences to our customers. Through the pandemic we’ve continued to launch new services and initiatives to ensure our customers travel with the assurance and ease, including digital initiatives to improve customer experiences on the ground. Now we’re rolling out a series of intensive programmes to take Emirates’ signature inflight experiences to the next level.

Emirates’ latest initiatives include:

elevated meal choices,
a brand new vegan menu,
a ‘cinema in the sky’ experience,
cabin interior upgrades,
‘sustainable choices’, and
a generous approach to ‘the little touches that make travel memorable’

New Inspirations, New Menus

An award-winning team of chefs, a world-class catering team and a wide variety of suppliers have been assembled to design and deliver ‘the best fine dining experience in the sky’.

New menus will be served on select Emirates routes in First Class, featuring dishes such as pan-fried salmon trout with moqueca sauce and creole rice, roasted duck breast with orange thyme jus, steamed broccolini and fondant potatoes.

New menus will also be introduced to Business and Economy on 1 September.

Purposefully Vegan Choices:

Emirates’ new vegan menu is ‘carefully curated to cater to the growing numbers of customers pursuing this thoughtful lifestyle’.

Vegans, or anyone interested in a delicious and healthy plant-based meal, will enjoy handcrafted gourmet dishes such as pan-roasted king oyster mushrooms, flavoursome jackfruit biryani and sliced kohlrabi garnished with burnt orange.

Desserts are a decadent affair with choices of chocolate truffle cake with hazelnut, pistachio and gold leaf, or green grape tart adorned with candied rose petals, vanilla custard, and berry compote glistening with yuzu pearls.

The Champagne and Caviar Experience

Emirates’ First Class experience has been upped a notch in 2022. Customers can now savour unlimited portions of Persian caviar as part of the ‘dine on demand’ service, with an exquisite pairing of the world-renowned Dom Perignon vintage champagne.

*Champagne and caviar: Emirates is the only airline with an exclusive agreement to offer Dom Perignon on-board.*

Cinema in the Sky

First Class customers can create a memorable movie moment on-board by ordering cinema snacks as they enjoy the 5,000 channels on Emirates’ ice inflight entertainment system.

The cinema snack menu includes moreish classics such as lobster rolls, juicy sliders, edamame, and salted popcorn, and can be ordered on demand.

All passengers can also curate their own ice experience before their flight, simply by browsing and pre-selecting movies or TV shows on the Emirates app, which can then be synced to ice the moment they board, maximising the seamless travel experience.

*A Flight at the Movies: Emirates cinema snacks*

Farm to Fork – Sustainable Supply Chain

Emirates’ customers departing on flights from Dubai can begin crunching on fresh greens harvested from Bustanica, the world’s largest vertical farm and newly-opened $40 million joint venture investment through Emirates Flight Catering.

Emirates is continuing to invest in sustainable operations and supply chains, seeking local food suppliers and farms wherever possible to serve the freshest produce on board.

Specialised Hospitality Training for Cabin Crew

Emirates has partnered with Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne, one of the world’s top hospitality management schools, to craft the Emirates Hospitality strategy and encourage inspiring customer experiences.

Emirates Cabin Crew have already begun engaging in intensive training programmes focused on delivering the four service pillars: Excellence, Attentiveness, Innovation and Passion.

*Top hospitality: Excellence, Attentiveness, Innovation and Passion*

Upgraded Cabin Interiors in all Classes

The most significant investment is an extensive and record-breaking refurbishment of the aircraft fleet interiors, where cabins will be retrofitted with new or reupholstered seats, new panelling, flooring and other cabin features.

Benefitting all Emirates passengers, every cabin class will be refreshed and new Premium Economy cabins installed.

After the retrofit, Emirates will have a total of 120 aircraft offering Premium Economy seats – the only airline in the region to offer this cabin class, and enhanced interiors and features across all other cabins. With its first aircraft scheduled to roll into the Emirates Engineering Centre for retrofitting in November, planning work and trials have begun in earnest.

Paul Baker, Global Travel Management Sales Director said,

Emirates are setting a benchmark for inflight customer experience. Their $2bn investment will be the envy of many other airlines and their passengers will be treated to flights that are a joy.
The recent improvements to the Emirates Premium Economy service are proof that the airline knows exactly how, where and when to apply its investments. Premium Economy on Emirates is exceptional.
I am looking forward to seeing the results of Emirates’ investments in all cabins across the fleet’s 120 aircraft.
I know GTM’s customers will appreciate the difference.

Premium Economy; Emirates developed an exceptional Premium Economy service, enjoyed by many GTM customers already

Emirates launches full Premium Economy experience

9, May 2022/in News /by Dave

Emirates has unveiled its full Premium Economy offering onboard and on ground, and announced it will open this highly sought-after cabin for sale from 1 June 2022.

The new cabin class, which offers luxurious seats, more legroom, and a service to rival many airlines’ business offering, will be available to customers travelling on popular A380 routes to London, Paris, Sydney from 1 August, and Christchurch from December.

Emirates is the only airline in the region to offer a Premium Economy cabin.

Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline said:

As with everything we do, Emirates Premium Economy will be exceptional in its class, with minute attention given to every aspect of the customer experience. Customers trading up from Economy will be getting excellent value.
Since we first introduced our Premium Economy seats in January 2021, the positive response and demand has been tremendous. We currently have six A380s equipped with this cabin class, which limits our initial deployment, but our intention is to offer this experience to many more markets across our network.
This November, we will begin our retrofit programme to install Premium Economy on 67 A380s and 53 Boeing 777s. At the end of the programme, Emirates will have 126 aircraft fitted out with Premium Economy cabins, as well as our latest interiors across other cabins. It is a major investment to ensure our customers continue to have the best experience in the sky.

***Dedicated airport experience:*** Customers can look forward to a dedicated check-in area for Premium Economy at Dubai International airport, or utilise one of the many convenient self-service check in kiosks in the hall to avoid queues.

***Luxurious seats:*** Once onboard,customers will immediately notice the quiet luxury in Emirates’ Premium Economy cabin. A wood panel finishing similar to Business Class sets the cabin’s mood, and each seat is designed to provide optimal comfort and support with 6-way adjustable headrests.

The cream-coloured leather seats have a generous pitch of up to 40 inches, is 19.5 inches wide, and reclines 8 inches into a comfortable cradle position with ample room to stretch out. It also offers calf rests and footrests for additional comfort, in addition to many other thoughtful touches such as easily accessible in-seat charging points and a side cocktail table.

Comfort: Customers can get comfortable under soft, sustainable blankets made from recycled plastic bottles, and snuggle into the generously sized pillow, both designed uniquely for Premium Economy. They can also refresh themselves with the complimentary amenity kits which come in reusable, sustainable bags, and contain items which are all made with some element of recycled or sustainable materials.