Air Emirates operates flights from its base in Dubai to the rest of the world.
Emirates flights may be booked at www.emirates.com.
1 October 2007 was an important milestone for Air Emirates, as the advent of its non-stop flights between Dubai and Sao Paulo meant that it was simultaneously serving all the continents (except Antarctica from Dubai).
The Dubai government established Emirates Airline in May 1985, with the first Emirates flights from Dubai being to Mumbai and Delhi in September 1985. In July 1987 the first Emirates flight to a European destination took place, flying to London's Gatwick Airport. In June 1990 the first Emirates flight to the far east took place, flying to Singapore. In 2002 ICE, an in-flight entertainment system, was introduced on Emirates flights. In 2005 high-speed in-flight internet was introduced on Emirates flights.
Emirates Airline is wholly owned by the Dubai government.
Skywards is the name of the program for which you earn frequent flier points on Emirates flights.
Emirates Airline flies from Dubai to just about anywhere in the world. Peak destinations include:
flights to Auckland
flights to Bangkok
flights to Johannesburg (on the 13th September 2007 Emirates announced that it would be increasing its flights between Dubai and Johannesburg to 3 a day on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The additional Wednesday flight starts on 1 February 2008, whilst the additional Friday and Saturday flights are from 28 October 2007).
flights to Cape Town (although there are no Emirates flights directly to Cape Town, you can book a flight from Dubai to Cape Town on Emirates' website - Emirates flies the Dubai to Johannesburg route, and the flight from Johannesburg to Cape Town is on a partner airline).
flights to Melbourne
flights to Mumbai
flights to Perth
flights to Sydney
In the UK Emirates Airline operates flights from:
And from Dubai, one can connect to just about anywhere in the world.
The German government is considering limiting the number of incoming Emirates flights to shield Deutsche Lufthansa AG from competition.
Emirates Airlines is keen on add Stuttgart and Berlin to its destinations, which could passengers the option of flying to Dubai without first having to take a domestic flight (e.g. with Lufthansa) to Munich or Frankfurt (the major hubs). As part of its expansion plans Emirates airline has ordered 47 Airbus A380 jets. It's been reported in Sueddeutsche Zeitung (citing an unpublished transportation ministry report) that the German government is prepared to offer Emirates flights to Berlin and Stuttgart in exchange for a cap of 63 Emirates flights per week coming in from Dubai to Germany.
European and Australian airlines perceive Emirates Airlines as a threat; as it allows passengers to bypass traditional hubs at London, Paris and Frankfurt on their way from the USA/Canada/Europe to Australia/Asia/New Zealand. In particular traditional airlines with much higher cost bases like Air France, KLM, British Airways, Lufthansa and Qantas are feeling the growing competitive threat of Emirates Airline.
Qantas and Air France and have gone so far as to accuse Emirates Airline of receiving hidden state subsidies, maintaining too close a relationship with Dubai's government-owned airport authority and aviation authority, and borrowing at rates below market rates by taking advantage of the Dubai government's sovereign borrower status.
Looking for a job at Emirates airline? Go to www.emiratesgroupcareers.com where you can find job opportunities as Emirates flight deck crew or cabin crew.
23 Jun 2008 |
Emirates abandons its plans to commence flights between Dubai and Durban (South Africa) on 1 Dec 2008, citing high fuel costs as the reason. |
15 Jun 2008 |
Emirates wins an OAG Airline of the Year award for "Best Airline Based in the Middle East/Indian Sub-Continent" and "Best Europe – Asia/Australasia Airline". |
20 Mar 2008 |
The first Emirates flight on which cellphone calls are allowed to be made. Some 25 calls are made on the flight from Dubai to Casablanca in an Airbus A340-300. The longest calls was four and a half minutes. |
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