Emirates adds fourth daily flight to Riyadh

Emirates will add a fourth daily flight to to Riyadh, KSA from 1 September 2018. The new service will take the total number of weekly Emirates flights serving Riyadh to 28.

Adil Al Ghaith, Senior VP, Commercial Operations, Gulf, Middle East & Iran said: “Emirates’ expanded schedule to Riyadh will offer more travel options and choice for business travellers and families alike who are looking to visit Dubai. There are strong passenger flows between Riyadh and Dubai so enhancing our services makes business sense, and further underscores Riyadh’s importance within our global network.

The fourth daily flight will be serviced by the Boeing 777-300ER in a three-class configuration. Emirates flight EK813 will depart Dubai, UAE at 3 pm arriving in Riyadh at 3.30 pm. The return flight, EK814 will depart Riyadh at 5.50 pm and will arrive in Dubai at 8.40 pm. The late afternoon departure complements the existing morning and evening flights, the airline said.

Dubai’s attractiveness as a destination for Saudi travellers continues to be strong and in 2017 more than 1.5 million Saudis visited the city, according to data published by the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism). As a commercial and business hub, Dubai has become a platform for businesses seeking exposure in emerging markets, and is also a springboard for investments coming into the region. KSA is the UAE’s largest trading partner in the region, with non-oil trade reaching an estimated AED88 billion in 2017, according to UAE Federal Customs Authority data.

All cabins on the Boeing 777-300ER flying to Riyadh are equipped with Emirates’ ice entertainment system with over 3,500 channels of content to choose from, including movies, television programmes, games, audio books and music from across the world, as well as over 330 Arabic channels.

As with all Emirates flights, passengers on the Riyadh service will enjoy the Emirates baggage allowance of up to 35 kg in Economy Class, 40 kg in Business Class and 50 kg in First Class.

Emirates has been serving KSA since 1989, and also operates flights to Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah. Emirates currently serves KSA with 84 flights a week, increasing to 91 per week from 1 September.

Emirates to add flights to Jeddah and Madinah for Hajj period

Source: Emirates. Emirates will supplement existing flights
to Jeddah and Madinah to facilitate Hajj travels.

Emirates will be operating extra flights to Jeddah and Madinah in KSA to help facilitate travel for pilgrims heading to and from the Hajj.

Emirates will be operating 33 additional flights to Jeddah and Madinah from 6 to 31 August to support the journey for pilgrims expected to travel to Makkah for the Hajj period. These services will run in parallel with Emirates’ regularly-scheduled services to Jeddah and Madinah, and are available to travellers holding a valid Hajj visa. 

This year, top inbound destinations in the Asia Pacific region that Emirates is expecting Hajj pilgrims to come from include Pakistan, Australia, and Indonesia.

Adil Al Ghaith, Emirates’ Senior VP, Commercial Operations, Gulf, Middle East and Iran said: “Hajj travel is an extraordinary journey for Muslims which leaves them with a lifetime of memorable experiences, and we expect over 25,000 pilgrims to travel with Emirates this year. With the significant demand for air travel during this period, Emirates is deploying extra flights to ensure more seamless connections for the scores of pilgrims making their way to the Holy City of Makkah. During their journey, we aim to provide our customers with the best experience that is aligned with the pillars of their faith, particularly during this significant period.”

On the ground in Dubai, UAE, the Emirates hub, the airline has a dedicated airport team whose purpose is to seamlessly facilitate the passenger ground experience for Hajj. In addition, dedicated check-in and transfer counters will be set up for Hajj passengers transiting in Dubai.

In the air, several initiatives have been planned in keeping with the values and traditions that pilgrims uphold when travelling for Hajj. Extra provisions will be made to accommodate Hajj traveller needs such as performing ablutions (الوضوء‎), advising passengers about al miqat and ihram* and other arrangements that will help ease their journey. Emirates’ award winning ice system will also feature a Hajj video that covers safety, Hajj formalities and information about performing the Hajj pilgrimage. Pilgrims will also be able to tune into the Holy Quran channel.

On flights from Jeddah, Hajj passengers can bring up to 5 litres of holy water (Zamzam [زمزم] water) which will be placed in special areas in the cargo hold. As with all Emirates flights, Hajj passengers will enjoy a generous Emirates baggage allowance of up to 35 kg in Economy Class, 40 kg in Business Class and 50 kg in First Class.

*Miqat (ميقات) refer to specific physical points before which the pilgrim must enter the state of ihram (إحرام). Ihram refers to a spiritual state prior to performing the Hajj or umrah pilgrimages.

Emirates boosts flights to Jeddah for umrah season

Source: Emirates. A Boeing 777-300ER plane.

Emirates will be boosting its flights to Jeddah during the umrah season. The airline will operate 24 extra flights, adding more than 10,000 additional seats between Dubai, UAE and Jeddah, KSA from 12 June to 24 June. The additional flights will be serviced by the Boeing 777-300ER.

Emirates’ additional flights will help accommodate more convenient travel through Dubai during the umrah season, which starts in Ramadhan and concludes in July for 2018. These services will run in parallel with Emirates’ regularly scheduled services to Jeddah, which includes three daily flights. The additional services can be accessed by travellers holding a valid umrah visa.

Adil Al Ghaith, Senior VP, Commercial Operations for Gulf, Middle East and Iran said: “Performing umrah during the month of Ramadhan is a significant experience for Muslims and Emirates is helping to make the journey more seamless through convenient connections for the thousands of pilgrims looking to travel during this time. We thank the Saudi Arabian government and authorities for their support to introduce these extra frequencies during umrah season.”

Onboard, Emirates’ ice entertainment system features special religious programming as well as popular regional entertainment options including new drama series. The airline’s diverse content available on board with up to 3,500 channels of entertainment includes 238 Arabic channels featuring movies, TV, music and audio.

This year, top Asian destinations where Emirates is expecting umrah travellers to come from include Pakistan.

Emirates celebrates Eid with customers for the first time

For the first time, Emirates is extending its Ramadhan service to celebrate Eid as well.

There is a 20% discount for onboard duty free purchases over US$95 up to 15 June.

From 14 to 17 June, customers can look forward to sweet treats on selected flights. In Economy Class, customers will be served Eid cookies, while in First and Business Class, customers will receive a box of chocolates. In addition, First Class customers can enjoy a special Eid edition of Lakrids candy. Lakrids Crispy Rose flavoured liquorice will be offered in  all regions during Ramadhan and Eid.

As a global airline, Emirates has been delighting customers’ palates with regionally-inspired cuisine and special seasonal menus for widely celebrated events like Chinese New Year, Christmas, Diwali, and Ramadhan. Its signature Ramadan service with special iftar meals has been a mainstay for over 20 years and illustrates the airline’s commitment to providing customers a comfortable journey throughout the month.

Emirates celebrates Oman's National Day with deals to selected destinations

Source: Emirates. An Emirates B777-300 ER aircraft.

On the occasion of Oman’s 47th National Day, Emirates is offering travellers in Oman special promotions to some of its most popular destinations. The offers are valid for booking in Economy Class and Business Class until 18 Nov 2017, for outbound travel between 21 November 2017 and 31 March 2018.

The special fares in Economy Class start from RO64 return to Dubai, UAE. It costs RO159 return to Bangkok, Thailand and RO176 return to Manila, Philippines. Along with these offers, Emirates Skywards members booking Economy Class can also enjoy earning Skywards Triple bonus miles on these routes.

Emirates’ companion offers for two to seven passengers in Business class start from RO530 return to Dubai, RO1,288 return to Amman, Jordan, and RO1,397 return to Bangkok.

During this promotional period, customers in Oman flying all classes can also enjoy special Emirates Holidays packages.

Details:

Explore the offer and book online, via a travel agent or through the local Emirates sales office. Terms and conditions apply.

Emirates Islamic adopts Blockchain to secure cheques

Emirates Islamic, an Islamic financial institution in the UAE, said it will introduce Blockchain technology into its cheques as a fraud prevention measure.

Termed Cheque Chain, Emirates Islamic is the first Islamic bank in UAE to undertake this initiative to enhance security in the popular payment method. Emirates Islamic will issue new cheque books carrying a unique QR code on every leaf, along with a string of 20 random characters.

“Blockchain has the potential to significantly increase security and protection in banking transactions and we are delighted to be among the first in the UAE to utilise this new technology,” said Suhail Bin Tarraf, COO, Emirates Islamic. “We anticipate that Cheque Chain will dramatically reduce cheque frauds in this market helping us provide our customers greater peace of mind and security.

“Emirates Islamic is making deeper investments in digital technologies to enhance and improve the banking experience, as part of our commitment to support the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, VP and PM of UAE and Ruler of Dubai in making Dubai the global capital of Islamic economy. We are confident that our efforts will be well received by our customers and partners.”

In the next phase of the Cheque Chain project, the bank will have each cheque leaf registered on the Bank’s Blockchain platform, enabling it to validate the authenticity of the cheque at source.

Etihad Guest launches Ramadhan campaign with Emirates Red Crescent

To celebrate the Year of Giving, Etihad Guest has launched a Ramadhan campaign with Emirates Red Crescent to provide meals to families in need in Somalia. The partnership is part of Etihad Airways’ contribution to the UAE’s Year of Giving programme.

Members of Etihad Airways’ loyalty programme can donate their miles to the emergency response in the African country, with 750 Etihad Guest Miles providing one meal. The aim of the campaign is to achieve 15 million miles' worth of donations, equivalent to 20,000 meals.

Yasser Al Yousuf, MD, Etihad Guest, said: “We are asking our members to make an easy but crucial statement this month by letting their miles make a difference to thousands of children and families in need in Somalia.

“The message is simple: the more donations we receive, the more people Emirates Red Crescent is able to feed. We have an ambitious goal of providing 20,000 meals and we hope that Etihad Guest members will join with us in supporting this important cause.”

Commending Etihad Airways’ humanitarian and development initiatives, HE Mohammed Yousef Al Fahim, Deputy Secretary-General for Support Services at Emirates Red Crescent, said: “The airline has been fulfilling its corporate social responsibility as it continues to play a vital role in supporting our national economy. The Emirates Red Crescent is proud of the partnership with Etihad Airways, which is a step forward to strengthening joint efforts to provide more care to people supported by Emirates Red Crescent in the UAE and abroad. We are confident that Etihad Guest initiative will take this partnership to new heights.”

Earlier in the year, Etihad Airways announced that it will donate AED1 from every flight ticket sold in the UAE during 2017 to Emirates Red Crescent’s local and international humanitarian projects.

The UAE national airline also painted one of its flagship Airbus A380 aircraft with the Year of Giving emblem to promote the campaign in its destinations around the world.

Interested?

Etihad Guest members can donate any amount they wish. Three thousand Etihad Guest Miles will feed a family of four and 37,500 Etihad Guest Miles will feed a community of 50. Donate

posted from Bloggeroid

Emirates announces beginning of iftar service, religious programming

Source: Emirates. Contents of an iftar box.

Emirates’ iftar service for customers during Ramadhan will coincide with the start of the month. These special meals will be available to passengers across all cabin classes on selected Emirates flights, including flights to and from the Gulf region as well as on flights catering to umrah groups travelling to Jeddah and Madinah during the month of Ramadhan.

Emirates’ iftar boxes feature an Arabesque design inspired by the region, and will house a nutritious and balanced meal. While catering to a global palate, the iftar menus will be accented with a Middle Eastern flavour. The iftar menu includes options such as za’atar chicken with hummus, spinach fatayer, halloumi cheese and cucumber sandwiches, and traditional sweets such as maamoul and dates, as well as yoghurt*. Menus will be refreshed mid-Ramadhan.

Emirates utilises a unique tool to calculate the correct timings for imsak (الإمساك, the time to commence fasting) and iftar while in-flight. It calculates the exact Ramadhan timing using the aircraft’s longitude, latitude and altitude; ensuring the greatest level of accuracy possible while on board. When the sun sets, passengers will be informed that iftar can begin by the captain. This tool was developed to supplement the Ramadhan timetable, available on every flight.

Trays of dates, symbolic of Ramadhan, and water will also be provided at boarding gates allowing customers to break their fast prior to boarding, or while boarding at Emirates’ hub in Dubai International Airport Terminal 3 and other Emirates destinations. During the month of Ramadhan, cold meals will be served in lieu of a hot one on all flights to Jeddah and Madinah, including umrah day flights.

Emirates’ ice entertainment system features special religious programming for Ramadhan including Men Raheeq Al Iman, Men wahe Al Bayan and Tafseer Al Quraan, as well as English documentaries on Makkah entitled And Sanctify My House and Mecca Clock Tower.

*Za'atar is a herb mix. Fatayer is a pie, and maamoul are shortbread pastries filled with dates or nuts.

posted from Bloggeroid

Emirates Islamic donates to Tarahum Charity Foundation

Source: Emirates Islamic. From left: Awatif Al Harmoodi, GM, Operational Quality & Processes, Emirates Islamic, and Amin Al Khaja, Board Member and GM, Tarahum Foundation.

Emirates Islamic, an Islamic financial institution in the UAE, has contributed AED9 million to the Tarahum Charity Foundation.

The bank has been a regular contributor to charitable humanitarian causes and has contributed over AED50 million in 2016 through its Emirates Islamic Charity Fund. With its contribution to the Tarahum Foundation, they hopes to reach out to the wider community and provide support on an individual basis.

Awatif Al Harmoodi, GM, Operational Quality & Processes, Emirates Islamic said, “Tarahum Foundation helps Emirates Islamic to reach out to individuals who have specific needs, and we are very pleased to lend our support to them. As a bank that is committed to serving the community in which it operates, we hope to support the disadvantaged people of the UAE through our contributions.”

Amin Al Khaja, Board Member and GM for the Tarahum Foundation, said: "We thank Emirates Islamic for its continued support and cooperation with the Tarahum Charity Foundation. The bank’s invaluable service in providing the much-needed financial support has contributed significantly to the humanitarian activities of the foundation. "

The Emirates Islamic Charity Fund provides financial aid under several initiatives, including food, shelter, health, education and social welfare. The fund was set up with the primary objective of allocation of financial aid to large charities, public and private institutions, as well as individuals in need.

Emirates, Google offer discounted Arabic e-books for October

Source: Emirates; Emirates and Google are encouraging a love for Arabic literature this October.

Emirates Airline and Google are Celebrating Arabic Reading through October in a collaboration to reach millions of smartphone users in the region, and support the UAE’s Year of Reading, a national initiative spearheaded by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The aim of the UAE’s Year of Reading is to nurture an entire generation of lifelong readers, and ensure the groundwork is in place to support the country’s knowledge economy goals.

The mission of the Celebrating Arabic Reading initiative is to make Arabic books more accessible for first-time online book readers and book lovers alike with unprecedented discounts of up to 90% off on online books at the Google Play Books store, which hosts more than 5 million titles.

Discounts are valid across nine countries in the Google Play Store (both in IOS and Android) for: the UAE, KSA, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt. This is the first such online book initiative, and the first discount of this scale in the region at the Google Play Store.

For a four-week period, Google will run its highest ever discount on the Play Books store on more than 4,000 popular fiction, non-fiction and children’s titles in an effort to reach millions of smartphone users in the Middle East and GCC.

HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group commented on Emirates’ partnership with Google: “Books can stimulate, inform, touch minds and hearts, and open up a world of possibilities for readers. As founding sponsors of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, we are staunch supporters of the written word.

Our Celebrating Arabic Reading initiative with Google aims to encourage more people to read, and try out Arabic e-books. Smartphones and tablets are increasingly a part of our daily lives, so it makes perfect sense to promote reading on these new platforms as well. People are hungry for content, especially Arabic digital content, and there isn’t a smarter investment for the future of this region than providing access to e-books to broaden the horizons of millions.”

Ronan Harris, VP for Large Customer Sales for Google Europe Middle East and Africa said: “Technology has always played a pivotal role in providing people with equal access to information, and empowering them with knowledge. That’s something we’re very passionate about at Google and it’s in line with our core mission here in MENA to help promote and preserve local Arabic content on the web whether it was on YouTube, Search, Maps or Play. Through our collaboration with Emirates, we hope we can make Arabic literature more accessible and enjoyable than ever. There is so much opportunity to build the digital ecosystem here and we’re happy to have partners like Emirates make it happen.”

To showcase the best of Arabic content, Emirates also commissioned the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature and the Emirates Literature Foundation to help identify and curate a collection of over 50 Arabic books in the Google Play Books store that will be discounted at 90% off. This curated book collection encompasses a wide variety of bestselling fiction and nonfiction titles such as Rua Falsafia Fel Hekam Wal Forousia and Tell You About My Tribe, as well as children's e-books like Creatures on the Ceiling, Altghrayib Al-Bilaliyah and I Love. 

 Emirates actively supports and sponsors a number of educational and cultural initiatives in the UAE, including the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, which last year attracted over 40,000 participants, 170 writers, thinkers and speakers from 35 countries. The airline also supports literature through its extensive audio-book section on the Emirates entertainment system, ice, as well as engaging author interviews on Emirates World, a popular channel on ice. In addition, Emirates SkyCargo recently carried almost 8 tonnes of books to different parts of the world to support reading.

Internet connectivity and mobile technology has helped cut the information divide in the Arab world. More people than ever own or have access to a digital device, whether it is a tablet, mobile phone or laptop. According to the Mobile Economy Arab States 2015 Report, over 200 million people across the region are subscribed to a mobile device, presenting a unique opportunity to deliver e-book and educational content.

The UAE 2021 Vision and National Agenda includes a direct emphasis on Arabic language literacy. Data from 2014 shows that just under 60% of students are currently at this level in the UAE. By 2021, the UAE is targeting that 90% of students have proficient Arabic literacy skills.

According to UNESCO research, 67% of adults living in Arab States have basic literacy skills, compared to a global average of 82%, underscoring the need for developing local, relevant Arabic content on the web which is central to information knowledge sharing.

Interested?

To find your favourite Arabic book on the Google Play Store

Hashtag: #YearOfReading

Emirates offers iftar service for Ramadhan

Emirates is bringing back its iftar service for customers travelling during Ramadhan. The iftar service is a further commitment towards an exceptional travel experience, providing comfort and convenience to customers who are observing Ramadhan and allowing them to enjoy the world class meals the airline is known for.

Source: Emirates. The iftar box in the background and the snack box in the foreground.

Special iftar boxes will allow those observing Ramadhan to break their fast with a nutritious and balanced meal. The service has been a mainstay on Emirates flights for over 20 years and is available for the whole month of Ramadhan, expected to begin on 6 June this year.

The boxes have been redesigned to feature a modern Arabesque design inspired by the region, and will be available across all cabin classes on select flights including those to and from the Gulf region as well as umrah groups travelling to Jeddah and Madinah.


This year’s Ramadhan boxes will have a new menu designed by Emirates’ chefs. These menus feature a Middle Eastern flavour, while remaining distinctly global, and will be refreshed mid-Ramadhan. The iftar box includes options such as za’atar chicken with hummus, spinach fatayer, halloumi cheese and cucumber sandwiches, traditional sweets such as mammoul and dates, as well as yoghurt.

Emirates utilises a unique tool to calculate the correct timings for imsak (the time to commence fasting) and iftar while in-flight. It calculates the exact Ramadhan timings using the aircraft’s longitude, latitude and altitude; ensuring the greatest level of accuracy possible while onboard. When the sun sets, passengers will be informed of the iftar time by the captain. This tool was developed to supplement Emirates’ annually produced booklet on the timings for Ramadan, available on every flight.

A snack box will also be provided at boarding gates allowing customers to break their fast prior to boarding or while boarding. The snack boxes will feature pastries like cheese fatayer and Arabic sweets like baklava and will be served for flights departing close to iftar at Emirates’ hub in Dubai International Airport Terminal 3. On certain routes, these boxes will be offered to customers prior to imsak.

Both variations of boxes will feature a box of dates, symbolic of Ramadhan. During the holy month, cold meals will be served in lieu of a hot one on all flights to Jeddah and Madinah, including umrah day flights.

Emirates’ ice entertainment system will feature popular movies such as psychological thriller Zinzana (Rattle the Cage) and romantic comedy Omar wa Salwa. These are in addition to 49 Arabic movies, 19 channels of Arabic TV programming, and 94 Arabic audio channels, including the Holy Quran channel.

Emirates Islamic opens new forex counter at Al Maktoum International Airport

Source: Emirates Islamic. Emirates Islamic’s Foreign Exchange Counter at Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central.

Emirates Islamic today announced the opening of a foreign exchange (FX) counter at Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central. The new FX counter, located at the airport’s departure lounge, will enable travellers and tourists to exchange up to 19 currencies at highly competitive rates.

In addition to Al Maktoum International Airport, the bank operates a FX counter at Port Rashid Cruise Terminal. Foreign exchange and remittance services are an important aspect of Emirates Islamic’s retail product suite, with the bank offering regular seasonal promotions and competitive rates on the currencies available.

Faisal Aqil, Deputy CEO - Consumer Wealth Management, Emirates Islamic, said: “Al Maktoum International Airport is becoming an increasingly busy destination and is expected to handle over 26 million passengers by 2017. We are extremely pleased to open an Emirates Islamic counter to serve the needs of travellers using the airport. As part of our strategy to expand our foreign exchange offerings, we plan to open more counters at high-traffic locations such as malls and airports, as well as continue offering the best offers and rates to our customers.”

Emirates launches flights to Sabiha Gökçen Airport, Istanbul

Emirates has launched daily flights to Istanbul with new flights to a second Istanbul gateway, Sabiha Gökçen Airport, for a total of 18 flights per week. Emirates’ new daily service to Sabiha Gökçen will also offer up to 12 tonnes of cargo per day in each direction.

The new daily flight is operated by an Airbus A330-200 aircraft in a three-class configuration offering 12 seats in First Class, 42 seats in Business Class, and 183 seats in Economy Class. Emirates flight EK119 will depart Dubai at 17:15 and arrive in at Sabiha Gökçen International Airport Istanbul at 20:15 daily. The return flight EK120 will leave Sabiha Gökçen International Airport Istanbul at 22:05, arriving in Dubai at 04:20 the next day. As with all Emirates flights, passengers enjoy baggage allowances of 50kg in first class, 40kg in business class and with 30 kg in economy class.

Istanbul is Emirates’ third international city to benefit from a dual airport operation, following London and Tokyo. In addition to the daily flight to Sabiha Gökçen International Airport Emirates also operates 11 weekly flights to Istanbul Atatürk Airport.

Located on the Asian side of the bi-continental city of Istanbul, Sabiha Gökçen International Airport offers travellers convenient access to the city’s cultural and historical sites. Passengers heading to the European side of Istanbul can take advantage of regular coaches that operate between Sabiha Gokcen and Taksim Square every half hour, taking approximately 45 minutes.

“We have been operating flights to Istanbul for more than 28 years and in that time have seen demand for our services grow exponentially. We are confident that both the passenger and cargo demand (are) strong enough to warrant Emirates operating to both of Istanbul’s airports,” said Adnan Kazim, Emirates Divisional Senior Vice President, Strategic Planning, Revenue Optimisation and Aeropolitical Affairs.

“As well as providing our passengers with greater flexibility in their travel plans to and from Turkey this new flight also signifies the introduction of First Class to our flights to Istanbul. There is high demand for this route and we are already seeing strong booking levels across all cabin classes from across our network.”

Gökhan Buğday, the CEO of Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport said, “With the launch of Emirates new daily flight we now have 51 airlines operating from our rapidly growing airport. This year we expect 28 million passengers to fly through Sabiha Gökçen and Emirates’ launch signifies yet another important and exciting milestone for us.”

The UAE and Turkey enjoy a strong trade relationship that is estimated to reach US$15 billion this year. There are currently more than 500 Turkish companies operating out of the UAE, including a number of Turkish construction companies who have played a key role in the construction of many of the buildings that make up Dubai’s skyline.

Emirates to add flights to Ningxia

Source: Emirates. Jade Emperor Pavilion, Yinchuan.

Emirates will expand its services in mainland China with four weekly flights to Yinchuan (INC) and Zhengzhou (CGO), utilising a Boeing 777-200LR aircraft, from 3 May 2016. These services will offer new international connectivity for two of China’s fastest growing cities, and expand Emirates’ destination offering on the mainland to five, the other cities being Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou.

Yinchuan, the capital of Ningxia, lies to the west of the Yellow River and to the east of Helan Mountain. With a large Muslim population, it serves as a gateway connecting China to Arab countries, and is positioned as a hub for economic and trade cooperation and cultural exchange between China and the Middle East. Zhengzhou, is the capital of Henan Province and a major transportation interchange for central China.

“With the opening of these new strategic routes, Emirates looks forward to contributing to the enhancement of China’s trade links with the rest of the world, in particular with the UAE and Arab world. We believe the new international air links that we are launching will help create tourism and trade opportunities for Chinese business and leisure travellers that may not otherwise exist,” said HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group.

“With our established network across Africa, Europe and the Middle East, Emirates is a ready-made connector of people and trade, and we look forward to further developing aviation links with China in a mutually beneficial way.”

Emirates has been a large part of the China growth story, being the first airline to establish non-stop connectivity between the Middle East and mainland China, first with freighter operations to Shanghai starting in 2002, followed by passenger services in 2004. Emirates’ new services will connect Yinchuan and Zhengzhou with new destinations via a connection in Dubai, and help boost trade and tourism flows to the growing central and western parts of China where these cities are located.

Emirates flights to Yinchuan and Zhengzhou will depart on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from Dubai as EK326 at 02:45 arriving at Yinchuan Hedong International Airport at 13:35. The service will then depart from Yinchuan at 15:20 and arrive at Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport at 17:00. The return flight, EK327, will depart Zhengzhou at 21:10, arriving at Yinchuan at 22:55. It will then depart Yinchuan at 00:40, arriving in Dubai at 04:30 the next day*. Timings of the new service have been scheduled to allow for seamless connections to many Middle East, European and African destinations.

Passengers travelling on Emirates’ Boeing 777-200LR will be able to enjoy the airline’s entertainment system with up to 2,000 channels of on-demand content, including Mandarin language movies and music. Emirates flights to and from China feature Mandarin-speaking cabin crew on board, and inflight cuisine options with popular Chinese dishes. 

The services will be operated by a three class configured Boeing 777-200LR aircraft, offering 266 seats and 14 tonnes of cargo capacity in the belly hold. As with all Emirates flights, passengers travelling on the Yinchuan and Zhengzhou services will enjoy the Emirates baggage allowance of 30kg in economy class, 40 kg in business class and 50 kg in first class. 

“As China's regions continue to open up to the global economy, Emirates remains keen to support this with the further expansion of air services in mainland China. In particular we’re interested in exploring the opportunity of daily services to Hangzhou and Chongqing, and a second daily service to Guangzhou,” added HH Sheikh Ahmed.

Ties between Dubai and China continue to grow stronger. A growing number of Chinese banks and businesses are establishing branches within Dubai’s business and financial districts and the city is now home to over 3,000 Chinese companies and 200,000 Chinese residents. Growth in visitor numbers to Dubai from China grew by 25% in 2014.

*Flight times are as per summer schedule

Emirates adds third daily flight to Riyadh

Emirates will boost its services to Riyadh with the addition of a third daily flight to the Saudi capital from 15 December 2015. The addition of the third daily service will take the total number of weekly Emirates flights serving Riyadh to 21. Over 450,000 passengers have travelled on the Dubai-Riyadh service to date.

Sheikh Majid Al Mualla, Divisional Senior Vice President Commercial Operations, Centre said: “Emirates’ expanded schedule to Riyadh will offer more seamless connections for our customers but most importantly will broaden travel options for business travellers and families alike who are looking to visit Dubai. There are clear traffic flows between Riyadh and Dubai therefore boosting our services and increasing our capacity with a third flight makes business sense.”

In 2014, Saudi Arabian visitors to Dubai topped more than 1.5 million, according to a Deloitte Quarterly Middle East Hotel Market Insight Report. Dubai continues to be an attractive destination for Saudi visitors, offering them both luxury and value with an extensive array of leisure and family activities to suit every taste, in addition to hotels for all budgets. As a business hub, Dubai has become a springboard to emerging eastbound markets and Africa and is an ideal destination for doing business. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the UAE’s largest trading partner in the region, with non-oil trade reaching an estimated AED256 billion in the first quarter of 2014, according to Saudi Arabian Federal Customs Authority data.

The third flight will be serviced by the A330-200 in a combination of a three class and two-class configuration. Emirates flight EK815 departs Dubai at 0125 and arrives in Riyadh at 0225. The return flight, EK816 departs Riyadh at 0345 and arrives in Dubai at 0645.

All cabins are equipped with Emirates’ ice entertainment system with over 700 content channels. As with all Emirates flights, passengers on the Riyadh service will enjoy the Emirates baggage allowance of 30kg in economy class, 40 kg in business class and 50kg in first class.

Along with Riyadh, Emirates flies to Jeddah, Dammam and Medinah Al Munawarah (Madinah) in KSA. Emirates currently serves Saudi Arabia with 59 flights a week. This will increase to 70 flights a week from 15 December with the additional services to Jeddah and Riyadh.

Interested?

Read the Suroor Asia blog post about Emirates' new flights to Jeddah

Emirates rolls out Arabic mobile site

Emirates has launched an Arabic version of its mobile site. Customers using the Emirates mobile site in any language can book flights, check in online, upgrade their class of travel, as well as view and download Apple Passbook boarding passes to their smartphone.

The Arabic mobile platform has been rolled out simultaneously across 15 countries in the Middle East and North Africa including the UAE, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco and Sudan, among others.

Sheikh Majid Al Mualla, Divisional Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations Centre for Emirates said: “Mobile device penetration in the Middle East and North Africa is steadily growing and we have been seeing strong usage on emirates.com from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt and Lebanon. In fact, almost two million people access emirates.com from those countries each month, and almost half of them access our site through their mobile devices. We saw a clear need for an Arabic mobile site which would allow us to significantly improve the customer experience.”

Earlier this year, after the overwhelming popularity of the Emirates App for iPhone, the airline extended its mobile App for the Android platform to serve its customers who use Android enabled devices. Emirates was also the first airline in the Middle East to launch an App for Apple Watch in April.

Emirates responds to high demand with four more flights to Jeddah a week

Emirates has added four flights per week to Jeddah, starting 14 December 2015. 

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a major market for Emirates and its importance is reflected by the fact that we will now operate three flights per day to Jeddah with our popular A380 aircraft. This is tremendous news for both our business and leisure customers and highlights our commitment to providing travellers in Jeddah with not only the very latest in aircraft innovations but also increased connectivity,” said Sheikh Majid Al Mualla, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations West.

The additional flights will operate on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, bringing the total number of weekly flights to Jeddah to 21.

Emirates flight EK801 will depart Dubai at 0140 and arrive in Jeddah at 0340 the same day. The return flight, EK802, will depart Jeddah at 0540 and arrive in Dubai at 0930 the same day.

Emirates’ First Class and Business Class passengers will also benefit from a complimentary chauffeured service to and from the airport, along with access to more than 35 dedicated Emirates Lounges around the world.

Passengers in all cabin classes have access to Wi-Fi, more than 2,000 channels of in-flight entertainment and gourmet-chef prepared meals, served by highly trained, multilingual cabin crew. Emirates’ customers also benefit from luggage allowances of 30 kg in economy class, 40 kg in business class and 50 kg in first class.

Emirates has been operating in The Kingdom for more than 26 years, first launching flights to Jeddah in 1989. The airline was the first to introduce an A380 into KSA by upgrading Jeddah to a double decker service in 2010. Today, Emirates serves KSA with 63 flights a week via four gateways; Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam and Al Medinah al Munawarah (Madinah). This will increase to 67 flights a week from 14 December with the additional services to Jeddah. All flights are non-stop to Dubai.

ERC provides infrastructure in Palestine

The Emirates News Agency (WAM) has reported that the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) organisation recently completed three development projects worth more than AED3.8 million in Palestine.

The projects include the construction of a two-storey and two-minaret mosque in Deir Qaddis west of Ramallah, to serve 1,200 worshippers; an additional storey for the girls' school in Deir Istiya town in the Salfit Governorate, to accommodate an additional 500 students; and 100 water wells to serve 100 farming families in villages in Hebron Governorate, southern West Bank.

KSA, UAE send help to Yemen

Humanitarian relief has been arriving in Yemen. The third installment of medical relief by King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Action arrived in Saioon city on board three trucks coming from KSA through the Alwadaia'ah land border crossing point, the Saudi Press Agency has reported.

Another report from Emirates news agency WAM shared that the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) handed out Eid al-Fitr gifts to 5,000 displaced children in the southeastern Yemeni province of Hadramaut. ERC teams delivered electronic toys, sweets and painting tools to makeshift shelters in the province.

The Emirati humanitarian agency has on-going operations in Yemen to provide basic educational, health and social services for children.

Emirates Red Crescent engages with orphans over Ramadhan

The Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) recently organised a number of activities for orphans nationwide, reported the Emirates news agency WAM.

The ERC collaborated with Ferrari World Abu Dhabi for the second year in a row, and organised the Ramadhan iftar for 500 orphaned children aged between 7 and 17.

Rashid Mubarak Al Mansouri, ERC Deputy Secretary-General of Local Affairs, said that the ERC provides educational and social programmes as well as recreational activities to help raise orphans with appropriate religious and social values.