Tag Archives: Dubai

Emirates reviews 2013, the fast-growing airline circled the globe over 18,000 times in 2013

Emirates’ (Dubai) has reviewed its performance and accomplishments in 2013. The airline issued this statement:

Emirates aircraft flew around the world more than 18,000 times in 2013, underlining its position as a global connector of people and places according to the carrier.

Figures show the airline’s fleet travelled more than 751 million kilometers throughout the year. Taking the earth’s circumference at the equator as 40,075 kilometers, this translates into the equivalent of 18,753 circumnavigations.

A total of 164,635 flights were conducted, carrying over 43 million passengers.

Emirates Flight Catering loaded nearly 46 million meals aboard Emirates’ flights departing Dubai. A particularly memorable day for the catering team was 20th December 2013 when a staggering 157,308 meals were produced, breaking their previous record of 147,722 on 1st March 2013.

Throughout the year, the airline has received 24 new aircraft – a combination of Airbus A380s, Boeing 777s and 777 freighters. Nine new passenger routes were launched; Warsaw, Algiers, Tokyo Haneda, Stockholm, Clark, Milan-New York, Conakry, Sialkot and Kabul. Hanoi, Chicago, Kano in Nigeria and Quito in Ecuador have been launched as cargo only destinations.

The first major milestone of 2013 was January’s opening of Concourse A, the world’s first purpose built A380 concourse. The giant building with 20 A380 gates is over 800m long and houses the largest airline lounges in the world.

April saw the landmark commercial deal with QANTAS Airways come to life. The new partnership brings the total combined number of weekly flights from Dubai to Australia to 98.

In May, The Emirates Group, which includes DNATA, announced its 25th consecutive year of profit, despite the continuing tough international business environment. For the 2012/13 financial year, the group posted a AED 3.1 billion ($845 million US) net profit, up 34 per cent from the previous financial year.

August brought the fifth anniversary of Emirates’ A380 operations. At the five year mark, its A380 fleet had carried more than 18 million passengers on over 45,000 flights. Earlier this month, the double decker, offering more than 400 hours of Hollywood movies, was deployed to Los Angeles, creating the world’s longest A380 service in operation at 16 hours and 20 minutes.

In September, Emirates’ fans were given an unprecedented look behind the scenes of its home base at Dubai International. The ten part series, “Ultimate Airport Dubai,” charts the incredible story of Dubai’s aviation sector on National Geographic Channel. The documentary can also be viewed on Emirates’ ice Digital Widescreen.

Emirates has won a host of awards during 2013 – most notably the Skytrax “World’s Best Airline” award. Close to 18,000 cabin crew from 137 nationalities help to deliver the world renowned on board service.

Emirates:

Flydubai finalizes its order for 75 Boeing 737 MAX 8s and 11 Next-Generation 737-800s

Flydubai (Dubai) and Boeing (Chicago) announced an order for 75 737 MAX 8s and 11 Next-Generation 737-800s, valued at $8.8 billion at list prices. In addition, the airline retains purchase rights for 25 more 737 MAXs.

The order was first announced as a commitment at the 2013 Dubai Airshow, making it Boeing’s largest single-aisle airplane order in the Middle East.

The 737 MAX incorporates the latest technology CFM International LEAP-1B engines to deliver the highest efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort in the single-aisle market. Airlines operating the 737 MAX will see a 14 percent fuel-use improvement over today’s most fuel-efficient single-aisle airplanes.

Development of the 737 MAX is on schedule with firm configuration of the airplane achieved in July 2013. First flight is scheduled in 2016 with deliveries to customers beginning in 2017. Already a market success, the 737 MAX has accumulated more than 1,700 orders to date and will have 8 percent per-seat lower operating costs than the future competition.

Flydubai placed its first order for 50 Next-Generation 737-800s at the 2008 Farnborough Air Show and took delivery of its first airplane in 2009. The airline was the first in the world to debut the Boeing Sky Interior, an enhanced onboard experience. To date, flydubai has grown its fleet to 34 Next-Generation 737-800s.

Copyright Photo: Paul Denton/AirlinersGallery.com. Flydubai currently operates 35 Boeing 737-800s. Boeing 737-8KN A6-FEA (msn 40254) arrives back at the Dubai hub.

Flydubai:

National Geographic Magazine introduces a new TV series called “Ultimate Airport Dubai”

National Geographic Magazine (Washington) through its National Geographic Channel has introduced a new TV series called “Ultimate Airport Dubai” which will focus on the operations of fast-growing Dubai International Airport (DXB), the home of Emirates.

DESCRIPTION

Less than 55 years ago, Dubai International Airport was a vast desert of sand.

Today, it is a modern mecca of international air travel.

With a staggering 344,000 flights, 57 million passengers and 2 million tons of cargo flying in and out each year, it is the world’s third busiest airport for international passengers.

In Ultimate Airport Dubai, step behind-the-scenes of Dubai International’s three massive terminals, including Terminal 3 – the largest building on earth by floor space, measuring 359 football pitches in size!

With unprecedented access to all facets of this mega facility, the series follows some of the 60,000 staff working hard to keep it safe, secure, and on schedule.

EPISODE GUIDE

Series 1

Ultimate Airport Dubai: Episode 1

The new concourse is trialed to test if it’s on schedule to receive 15 million passengers and 33 of the mighty 389-million-dollar Airbus A380s.
Ultimate Airport Dubai: Episode 2

The construction team behind the new concourse feel the heat as more than 200 volunteers test whether it’s ready to be used by the public.

Next Showing:
Wednesday 1 January at 3:00AM – National Geographic Channel
Ultimate Airport Dubai: Episode 3

The pressure is on as engines, cargo and construction materials all go missing – pushing an airport already near-capacity to breaking point.

Next Showing:
Wednesday 1 January at 3:45AM – National Geographic Channel
Ultimate Airport Dubai: Episode 4

Over a million passengers pass through Dubai International Airport every week. Meet the people behind the scenes making everything run smoothly.

Next Showing:
Wednesday 1 January at 4:30AM – National Geographic Channel
Ultimate Airport Dubai: Episode 5

Over a million passengers pass through Dubai International Airport every week. Meet the people behind the scenes making everything run smoothly.

Next Showing:
Wednesday 1 January at 5:15AM – National Geographic Channel
Ultimate Airport Dubai: Episode 6

Duty Manager Khalil has to help a family stranded in the terminal, while Controller Nargis must free a cargo of meat stuck in the desert heat.
Ultimate Airport Dubai: Episode 7

David Robson must greet some temperamental VIP passengers and Dispatcher Nizel has a problem when a brand-new A380 goes missing.
Ultimate Airport Dubai: Episode 8

Passenger Operations has to cope with a group of stranded tourists, and a missing passenger puts a curfew-critical flight to Sydney in jeopardy.
Ultimate Airport Dubai: Episode 9

Although Dubai International tries to prepare for every scenario, more than one million passengers each week inevitably bring unusual challenges.
Ultimate Airport Dubai: Episode 10

John has seconds to drive on runways looking for debris and engineer Mian must work out why a jet won’t move after its parking brake is released.

Copyright Photo: Paul Denton/AirlinersGallery.com. Completing its final approach into DXB is Emirates’ Boeing 777-31H ER A6-EGZ (msn 41081).

Emirates:

Watch Season 1, Episode 1:

Emirates to become the first Airbus A380 operator at London’s Gatwick Airport

Emirates (Dubai) will become the first airline to operate a regularly scheduled service to London Gatwick airport with an Airbus A380.

Starting March 30, 2014, the airline’s 489-seat A380 will replace the Boeing 777-300 ER on EK flight 09/10, bringing a 36 percent increase in capacity on one of its three daily flights.

Emirates will start operating scheduled A380 services to Zurich and Barcelona from January and February 2014 respectively.

Flight EK 009 will depart Dubai at 1500 (3 pm) and arrive at London Gatwick Airport at 1930 (7:30 pm). The return flight, EK 010, will leave London Gatwick at 2115 (9:15 pm) and arrive in Dubai at 0720 (7:20 am) the next day.

Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A380-861 A6-EDH (msn 025) taxies at Amsterdam with special Expo 2020 Dubai UAE markings.

Emirates:

Emirates arrives in Afghanistan, its 78th country served

Emirates (Dubai) on December 4 launched its newest route to Kabul, Afghanistan.

Kabul is the 138th destination of the fast growing airline and Afghanistan is the 78th country now served by the carrier.

The route is operated by an Airbus A340-500 configured in a three cabin configuration, offering 12 First Class, 42 Business Class and 204 Economy Class seats. Emirates is the only airline which offers First Class from Dubai to Kabul.

EK 640 will depart Dubai daily at 09.55 hours and arrive in Kabul at 13.15. The return flight, EK 641 will leave Kabul at 15.30 hours and arrive back in Dubai at 18.00.

The day before on December 3 Emirates celebrated the launch of Airbus A380 service to Los Angeles, becoming the world’s longest A380 service in operation.

The landmark flight, crossing the Russian Federation, the North Pole and Eastern Canada, has a published duration of 16 hours 20 minutes, more than enough time to delve into over 400 hours of in-flight Hollywood movies.

Emirates:

Video: The A380 inaugural flight to Los Angeles:

Qatar Airways orders five additional Airbus A330-200F freighters

Qatar Airways (Doha) has placed a firm order for five new Airbus A330-200 Freighter aircraft in an agreement signed at the Dubai Airshow 2013. These new aircraft will complement the airline’s rapidly growing network, which includes more than 40 routes that have dedicated freighter services. Included in the order are eight additional A330-200F options – which would make today’s deal potentially worth over $2.8bn at list prices for a total of 13 aircraft. These aircraft on order will complement three A330-200Fs Qatar Airways already operates since earlier this year.

Copyright Photo: Paul Denton/AirlinersGallery.com. Qatar Airways Cargo Airbus A330-243F A7-AFY (msn 1386) arrives in Dubai.

Qatar Airways:

Flydubai commits up to 100 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft and 11 Next-Generation 737-800s

Flydubai (Dubai) and Boeing (Chicago) today announced a commitment for up to 100 737 MAX 8 airplanes and 11 Next-Generation 737-800s on the opening day of the Dubai Airshow.

The commitment from the airline of the emirate of Dubai, valued at $11.4 billion at list prices (including orders and purchase rights), is the largest ever Boeing single-aisle airplane purchase in the Middle East. The investment continues Flydubai’s legacy operating an all-Boeing 737 fleet.

The 737 MAX will build on the Next-Generation 737’s popularity and reliability while delivering customers unsurpassed fuel efficiency in the single-aisle market. The 737 MAX 8 is expected to be 8 percent per-seat more fuel efficient than the future competition.

Flydubai placed its first order for 50 Next-Generation 737-800s in 2008. The airline took delivery of its first airplane in 2009 and was the first airline in the world to debut the Boeing Sky Interior, an enhanced onboard experience. To date, flydubai has taken delivery of 33 Next-Generation 737-800s.

In the past two years, Flydubai has more than doubled the number of destinations it flies to and has around 1,200 weekly flights. flydubai carried 5.1 million passengers in 2012 and has become the second largest carrier, by passenger numbers, operating out of Dubai International.

In only four and a half years flydubai has, in this short time, built up a network of more than 65 destinations, served by a fleet of 33 Boeing 737-800 aircraft. The remaining aircraft from its 2008 order will be fulfilled by 2015. It achieved profitability in its third year of operation. It continues to focus on the needs of its passengers most recently launching Business Class services. It made this service available, for the first time, on several of the 46 previously underserved destinations it flies to.

The first aircraft, Next-Generation Boeing 737-800s from this order, will be delivered between 2016 and 2017. Deliveries of the first Boeing 737 MAX will commence in the second half of 2017 and continue until the end of 2023. As one of the most reliable and efficient single-aisle aircraft models of its type currently available today it will support Flydubai’s continued growth.

Flydubai:

Route Map:

Video:

Emirates orders 50 additional Airbus A380s

Emirates Airline (Dubai) has placed an additional order for 50 Airbus A380 aircraft. The order was signed at a ceremony at the 2013 Dubai Airshow witnessed by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive Emirates Airline and Group and Fabrice Brégier, Airbus President and CEO.

Following delivery of their first A380 in July 2008, Emirates has now taken delivery of 39 A380s. Their 39^th A380 is on Airbus’ static display at the 2013 Dubai Airshow. All Emirates’ A380s are powered by Engine Alliance GP7200 engines.

Since first entering service in 2007, the A380 has joined the fleets of ten world class carriers. The aircraft flies 8,500 nautical miles or 15,700 kilometres non-stop, carrying more people at lower cost and with less impact on the environment. The spacious, quiet cabin and smooth ride have made the A380 a firm favorite with both airlines and passengers, resulting in higher load factors wherever it flies.

The total A380 fleet has accumulated over one million flight hours in almost 140,000 commercial flights. To date some 50 million passengers have already enjoyed the unique experience of flying on board an A380. Every five minutes, an A380 either takes off or lands at one of the 34 airports where it operates today and the network is constantly growing.

On this historic “airline order milestone” day, Emirates issued this statement:

Emirates airline has again rewritten all records in civil aviation with an order for 150 Boeing 777X, comprising 35 Boeing 777-8Xs and 115 Boeing 777-9Xs, plus 50 purchase rights; and an additional 50 Airbus A380 aircraft.

Left to Right: His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai; Fabrice Brégier, Airbus President and CEO; Tom Enders, Chief Executive EADS; Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai and His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group.

Together, the Boeing and Airbus orders, excluding purchase rights, are worth an estimated $99 billion (US) at list prices. This is the largest ever aircraft order in civil aviation and also Emirates’ largest order announced at any event to date.

The agreement was signed today (November 17) at the Dubai Air Show by His Highness (H.H.) Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group, with Jim McNerney, Boeing Chairman, President and CEO, and Fabrice Brégier, Airbus’ President and CEO. The signing was witnessed by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.

Emirates’ Boeing 777X order is the single largest aircraft order by value in the history of U.S. commercial aviation, and the additional A380 order cements Emirates, already the largest operator of this aircraft type, as the principal customer for the A380 worldwide. These latest orders bring Emirates’ total firm order book to 385 aircraft (excluding options or purchase rights), comprising 214 Boeing 777s, 101 Airbus A380s, and 70 A350s, at a total estimated value of US$ 166 billion.

Emirates’ Boeing 777X

“The announcement today includes the purchase of 300 GE9X engines from General Electric, to power the 150 Boeing 777X aircraft ordered. Taking into account the U.S. Government jobs multiplier (every $1 billion in US aerospace exports supports 5,747 American jobs), today’s historic order will protect and support over 436,000 jobs in U.S. aerospace manufacturing – not only at Boeing and GE facilities, but with hundreds of other suppliers,” said Sheikh Ahmed.

Emirates’ 777-8X and 777-9X will be a combination of two and three-class configurations, with the 777-8X potentially seating 342 passengers in 3 classes, and the 777-9X seating over 440 passengers in 2 classes.

“Emirates today operates more than one in every 10 Boeing 777 aircraft built. It is the workhorse of our fleet. What the 777X does, is offer us a flying range comparable with the 200LRs and 300ERs, but with more passenger capacity at potentially up to 18% more fuel efficiency,” said Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline.

Emirates’ unwavering commitment to the Boeing 777 dates back to 1996. Today, Emirates is already the largest operator of the 777 with 131 in operation, and the only airline to fly all variants in the 777 family. At the 2011 Dubai Air Show, Emirates ordered 50 Boeing 777-300ERs with options for 20 more at a total value of US$ 26 billion (AED 95.4 billion). It was then a record breaking aircraft order– the single largest by any airline with Boeing in dollar value.

Emirates’ Airbus A380s

Emirates currently operates the world’s largest fleet of A380s with 39 in service.

Its order for 50 additional A380 aircraft today brings Emirates’ total A380 order book to 101 aircraft, worth US$ 45 billion. A combination of two and three-class cabin configuration, the first 25 of these latest A380 aircraft orders are scheduled to be delivered before the first quarter of 2018.

Emirates has been associated with Europe’s largest passenger aircraft since April 2000 when it became the first airline to announce plans to purchase the super jumbo. As the largest customer for the A380, Emirates is therefore the largest supporter of European aerospace manufacturing jobs tied to the A380 programme which is spread across Airbus’ manufacturing centres in France, Germany, England and Spain.

Follow-up article: From Reuters: Emirates was concerned that Airbus was considering slowing down A380 production because of lagging new orders and took a look at how many additional A380s it could physically take at its Dubai base and stated it could have ordered 10 more! This order now ensures the A380 production rate will continue and probable A380 profit for Airbus in 2015 or 2016. Read the full article: CLICK HERE

Analysis: Can other airlines, especially European and North American carriers, compete against the fast growing Gulf carriers? CNN Money explores this question: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Karl Cornil/AirlinersGallery.com. Emirates’ Airbus A380-861 A6-EEC (msn 110) with special “Expo 2020 Dubai UAE” stickers completes its final approach into London (Heathrow).

Video: An inside look at the Emirates Operations Control Room, Dubai.

Emirates:

Gulf Air clarifies its role in Saudi Arabia

Gulf Air (Bahrain) has clarified its position regarding its involvement in a new domestic airline in Saudi Arabia. The flag carrier is acting as a consultant to the Al Qahtani Group. The airline has issued this statement:

Gulf Air, Bahrain’s national carrier, has issued a statement clarifying the recent awarding of two licenses by the General Authority of Civil Aviation of Saudi Arabia (GACA) to operate domestic services within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Gulf Air did not bid and has not been awarded domestic traffic rights to operate in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The airline’s involvement is in a consultative capacity only to the Al Qahtani Group, a consortium of privately owned companies based in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Accordingly, Gulf Air’s name and brand remain independent of the venture.

An initial contract signed last year appointing Gulf Air in an advisory role to support the Al Qahtani Group’s bid for national traffic rights in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has concluded with the consortium being awarded one of the two licenses. A second consulting agreement between Gulf Air and the Al Qahtani Group is currently being negotiated whereby Gulf Air will support the Al Qahtani Group in obtaining its Saudi Arabian Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC).

Gulf Air has been operating to Saudi Arabia for over 63 years, amassing extensive operational and logistical knowledge of the Kingdom. As such, the national carrier is in a position to support Al Qahtani obtain its Air Operator’s Certificate and further facilitate its entrance into the market.

Copyright Photo: Paul Denton/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A320-214 A9C-AH (msn 4218) with Grand Prix 2012 markings arrives at Dubai.

Gulf Air:

Qatar Airways’ grounded Boeing 787-8 A7-BCB returns to service

Qatar Airways‘ (Doha) grounded Boeing 787-8 A7-BCB (msn 38320) was returned to service yesterday (July 31) after being grounded by the airline since July 21 due to unspecified “technical issues” according to this report by Reuters. A7-BCB successfully operated a round trip between Doha and Frankfurt.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Qatar Airways: