Tag Archives: Emirates

Emirates expects a peak travel period ahead of the New Year

Emirates made this announcement:

As the year draws to a close, a high volume of passengers are expected to surge through Dubai International to meet their travel plans for the New Year celebrations and the holidays season. With nearly 1 million travelers departing and arriving into Dubai, the peak travel period which starts today will last through 10 January 2022.

In line with Emirates and Dubai Internationalโ€™s health precautions and to ensure the safety of the general public,ย only passengers with valid tickets will be allowed into the terminal.

UAE citizens and residents, as well as international travelers traveling from Dubai to Emiratesโ€™ global network throughout the busy period are encouraged to follow the airlineโ€™s guidelines for a smoother, and hassle-free travel journey.

Early check-in options

Emiratesโ€™ customers may check in as early as 24 hours before their flight departure using the 32 self-service bag drop machines and 16 check-in kiosks available at Terminal 3, or at Emiratesโ€™ check-in desks. * Passengers traveling to the US can check in 12 hours before departure at Emiratesโ€™ check-in desks.

Located adjacent to Terminal 3 car park area in Zone C, passengers can also use the car park check-in facility from 24 hours and up to six hours prior to departure. With zero parking charges for using the drop-off lane adjacent to this facility, customers who get dropped off at Terminal 3 Departures Car Park will have an even easier and more convenient check-in option to make their airport journey smoother.

Customers using the self-service kiosk will receive their boarding passes on the spot, but must still complete their immigration formalities no later than 60 minutes before their flight departure.

Passengers also have the convenient option to check in online up to 48 hours and until 90 minutes before their flight departure, through Emiratesโ€™ official website or the mobile app, and download digital boarding passes on their mobile phones for select destinations.

Same day check-in tips

To avoid the rush of the holidays and the New Yearโ€™s Eve, Emirates urges passengers to arrive at the airport at least 3 hour prior to their flight departure, andย ensure they have all the required documents for their destination.

To further expedite their airport experience, customers can utilise Emiratesโ€™ biometric path in Terminal 3 for a smoother and contactless journey from specific check-in desks, Emirates dedicated lounges and boarding gates. Without any document checks or queuing, passengers can use the biometric path for a fast and efficient process to complete their immigration formalities and board their flights.

Customers who check in less than 60 minutes before departure will not be accepted for travel.

Once checked in, passengers are advised to ensure they arrive to their boarding gate on time. Gates open 90 minutes before departure, boarding starts 45 minutes before the flight and gates close 20 minutes before departure. Emirates will not be able to accept passengers reporting late to the boarding gate for travel. Check-in and gate closure timings will be strictly followed to ensure flights depart on schedule and to avoid the impact on operations.

Emirates has invested in industry-leading initiatives to ensure the health and safety of its passengers both on board and on ground. The airline has put in place detailed measures and safety protocols across all its touchpoints at DXB that are equipped to handle the surge in passenger traffic. From contactless technologies to biometric journeys, Emiratesโ€™ passengers can plan their holidays with the airline in ease, complete comfort and absolute confidence. Advanced cleaning technologies are used across high traffic areas at Emiratesโ€™ dedicated lounges including seats and handrails. Social distancing measures are maintained through floor markings and signage. Hand sanitizing stations as well as Plexiglas partitions are also implemented across all Emirates check-in desks.

Emirates reopens over 20 dedicated airport lounges across its network

Emirates has made this announcement:

In line with the restoration of Emiratesโ€™ network and upsurge in travel demand, passengers traveling in premium cabins as well as Skywards members in select membership tiers will have access to more than 120 lounges by February.

Emirates, which has resumed operations to over 90 percent of its pre-pandemic network, currently flies to more than 120 destinations worldwide via its hub in Dubai. Customers traveling in First Class and Business Class will be able to complement their travel experience with Emiratesโ€™ signature premium lounge service at over 20 airports in its network, comprising popular destinations across Europe, Africa, US and Asia.

By late December, Emirates lounges at a host of airports in the UK will have re-opened their doors for customers to immerse themselves in the pre-flight premium experience, including London Heathrow, Birmingham, and Manchester while the lounges in London Gatwick and Glasgow will welcome customers in January 2022.

In Europe, Emirates lounges in Germany, namely Munich, Frankfurt, Hamburgย and Dusseldorf, in addition to lounges in Milan and Rome, have already re-opened for passengers to enjoy their premium facilities, while the loungeย inย Paris is scheduled to open later this month.

In the US, travelers on Emirates flights can access the premium lounge experience at Los Angeles International Airport, Boston Logan International Airport as well as New York JFK, with Emiratesโ€™ San Francisco lounge to re-start its services in February 2022.

An additional Emirates Lounge, to serve passengers traveling through Cairo, has resumed operations earlier, while premium class customers and eligible Skywards members will soon be able to relax and dine in its lounges in Colombo and Bangkok prior to flights.

At Emiratesโ€™ exclusive Terminal 3 at Dubai International airport, Emiratesโ€™ premium class customers and eligible Skywards members are also able to enjoy the airlineโ€™s premium lounge service at five of its dedicated lounges, which are now fully operational.

In Concourse B of Terminal 3, both Emiratesโ€™ First Class Lounge, offering a private Lounge experience for customers flying in First Class, as well as its Business Class Lounge, have re-opened with full service offerings. Customers flying in Business Class in addition to Skywards Platinum and Gold members can look forward to enjoying gourmet dining with premium beverages prior for up to four hours prior to departing on flights or utilizing the complimentary wi-fi to catch up on emails, browse the internet or stay connected with family and friends. The new menus also include vegan, vegetarian and healthier options to cater to passengersโ€™ preferences.

Emiratesโ€™ First Class and Business Class Lounges in Concourse A have also resumed operations in the East Wing and, in the West Wing, the First Class and Business Class Lounges are set to re-open for customers in the coming weeks. Furthermore, plans are underway to ensure two Lounges in Concourse C are fully operational by early next year to provide an even more rewarding experience.

Emiratesโ€™ First Class passengers and Platinum Skywards members can enjoy complimentary access for the first passenger and up to three additional guests, including one adult and two children under 17 in the airlineโ€™s lounge facilities. Before flights, passengers in Concourse A can savor the unique flavors of gourmet dishes prepared by chefs in show kitchens, enjoy a drink at the Cigar Bar or let expert sommeliers guide them on the best vintages to indulge in, at Le Clos Wine Cellar. The lounges also feature spa services and shower facilities, a dedicated duty-free shopping area in First Class and a Concierge Duty-Free service in Business Class. Customers enjoying the lounge facilities will also have direct access to boarding gates at the airlineโ€™s dedicated A380 hub.

All Emirates lounges have resumed operations after stringent health and safety measures have been put in place to ensure the wellbeing of passengers. Furthermore, Emiratesโ€™ airport services teams around its network have worked closely with partner lounge service providers to ensure specific protocols are met to provide services to its premium and frequent flyer customers. Depending on specific local guidelines in each market, either buffet service or a la carte dining are offered to customers and only contactless menus are available via oneโ€™s smartphone. Special seating arrangements have been made to ensure social distancing guidelines are met.

Emirates takes delivery of its 123rd Airbus A380

Emirates received its 123rd A380 in Hamburg on December 16, 2021. The close collaboration with Airbus has shaped the identity of the A380 over the years and continues to transform the passenger experience today. It is the 251st A380 delivered by Airbus.

A shared ambition

The story of the A380 is closely linked to Emirates. In the early 2000s, Airbus launched the A380 in response to airport congestion by creating an aircraft capable of serving global hubs. An ambition shared by Emirates, whose unique geographical position allows them to connect Dubai to all the world’s airports such as Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Sรฃo Paulo, Singapore or Sydney, creating the possibility to fly more than 500 passengers around the world on one aircraft. Emirates’ appetite for the A380 is insatiable: with 123 A380s delivered, 50 destinations and 12 maintenance centers, the airline is unquestionably a major A380 customer.

 

The airlineโ€™s strategy has enabled Airbus teams to improve the aircraft’s operational performance by up to 99.3%, a level never seen before on a four-engine aircraft – and to develop new innovations on an ongoing basis. The attention to detail given to the cabin illustrates the duo’s win-win approach.

Cabin innovation

“Emirates has always pushed boundaries on design and cabin innovation, a key investment in its strategy,” explains Michael Lau, A380 Industrial Designer in Hamburg. “Many of the innovations developed on the Emirates cabin were a first for Airbus, such as the first class showers, lighting scenarios and the recent premium economy cabin. Emirates has challenged us and given us confidence in our cabin expertise. We are extremely proud of what we have achievedย together on this aircraft.”

The premium economy cabinย –ย positioned as middle-ground between economy and business class for comfort and amenitiesย is available on Emirates’ six newest A380s, and 52 of its 123 A380 will be retrofitted in the coming months to accommodate this new-generation premium class. This is another example of Airbus’ ability to meet the most demanding cabin designs and Emirates’ desire to offer passengers the most exclusive travel experience with the latest cabin standards.

A new passenger experience

While Emirates takes passenger comfort to the next level on the A380, the aircraft itself offers features that have transformed the passenger’s idea of air travel. “The double deck fuselage, the cabin area and its technologies are unique. The A380 is particularly quiet, giving the feeling of calm to passengers onboard. This experience is shared by everyone, from passengers to pilots and crew. This has helped transform the attention that Airbus and the airlines now pay to passengers” explains Michael Lau.

From the A380 to the A350, a transfer of innovation

The A380 is a pioneer in many respects. “The A380 has enabled the four Airbus countries to work together and adopt common development and industrialization methods. Overcoming our historical national heritage has been a huge challenge that made Airbus the integrated company we currently know” says Bertrand George.

The experience gained on the A380 has been used by the entire Airbus family, and especially on the A350 program. For the first time, Airbus teams used a Digital Mock-Up (DMU) as a 3D representation of an aircraft. Moreover, the A380 enabled the introduction of new advanced materials such as carbon fibre reinforced plastics and Glare (glass fibers and aluminum), offering better properties against corrosion and fatigue, as well as weight reduction. New technologies were also implemented such as the zero-splice acoustic panel, which significantly reduces noise on the engine air inlets. The new hydraulic system (with a 5000 psi pressure and the 2H/2E systems architecture where the traditional three hydraulic circuits were replaced by two hydraulic and two electric systems), reduced weight, and improved system redundancy and reliability.

The A380 of tomorrow relies on sustainable aviation fuels (SAF)ย 

The A380 MSN1 test campaign is on-going to improve in-flight systems and SAF capability of up to 100%. A much-awaited challenge for Emirates, which has already embarked on this path by operating the first A380 ferry flight from Germany to the United Arab Emirates fueled with 10% of sustainable fuel.

Flying for decades to come

Beyond this new collaboration with Emirates, Airbus is continuing to fully support all A380 operators and their fleets on over 70 destinations around the world. Since its entry into service in 2007, the iconic A380 has flown over 800,000 flights carrying more than 300 million passengers.

 

Emirates gears up for busy holiday travel rush

Emirates issued this announcement:

With the end of school term and the start of the holiday season, Emirates is expecting over 1.1 million passengers to pass through Terminal 3 at Dubai International during this busy travel period which will run through until 21 December. This weekend will see a peak surge of close to 250,000 travelers departing from Terminal 3.

Customers are encouraged to arrive at the airport at least three hours prior to their flight departure andย ensure they have all the required documents for their destinationย before proceeding to the check-in desk. To expedite their airport experience and ensure a smoother departure, passengers can choose to avoid the rush by physically checking-in 24 hours before their flight departure, drop off their bags and collect their boarding passes, using the 32 self-service bag drop machines and 16 check-in kiosks available at Terminal 3.* Customers using the self-service kiosk must still complete their immigration formalities no later than 60 minutes before their flight departure.

Customers can also opt to check in online up to 48 hours and until 90 minutes before their flight departure and download digital boarding passes on their mobile phones for select destinations.

Customers who check in less than 60 minutes before departure will not be accepted for travel.

To speed up the process even further, customers can also utilize Emiratesโ€™ biometric path in Terminal 3 for a contactless journey from specific check-in desks, Emirates lounges and boarding gates. The biometric path allows customers to complete immigration formalities and board their flights with virtually no document checks and queuing.

Once checked in, passengers are advised to ensure they arrive to their boarding gate on time. Gates open 90 minutes before departure, boarding starts 45 minutes before the flight and gates close 20 minutes before departure. Emirates will not be able to accept passengers reporting late to the boarding gate for travel. Check-in and gate closure timings will be strictly followed to ensure flights depart on schedule and to avoid the impact on operations.

All Emirates and DXB touchpoints are fully prepared to manage the surge in holiday passenger traffic, with measures and protocols in place designed to enhance safety as customers move through Terminal 3. Along with industry-leading contactless technologies and biometric journeys, Emirates customers can be assured that the airline and its partners have spared no effort to make the airport journey as safe and smooth as possible.

This includes robust and consistent cleaning protocols for high traffic areas such as seats and handrails, modern cleaning technologies for surfaces in Emiratesโ€™ dedicated lounges keeping them germ free for longer, social distancing measures through floor markings, signage and airport employees safely managing the flow of passengers; hand sanitizing stations as well as Plexiglas partitions throughout all Emirates check-in desks, amongst numerous other measures.

Emirates signs codeshare agreement with airBaltic

Emirates has signed a codeshare agreement with airBaltic to offer customers enhanced connectivity to/from Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania and Finland. The codeshare partnership will open new travel opportunities and offer Emiratesโ€™ customers convenient access to the Baltic Sea region. airBalitc customersโ€™ will also benefit from seamless access to Emiratesโ€™ extensive network, via Dubai.

The codeshare agreement will offer customers from key markets across the Middle East, West Asia, Far East and Australia, greater access and connectivity to the Baltic States.

Emirates will place its โ€œEKโ€ marketed code on airBaltic flights operated between: Dubai – Riga (Latvia); Riga – Tallin (Estonia); Riga – Vilnius (Lithuania); and Riga – Helsinki (Finland). airBalitc will also place its โ€œBTโ€ marketed code on Emiratesโ€™ routes between: Dubai – Bangkok (Thailand); and Dubai – Jakarta (Indonesia).

Emirates currently has codeshare agreements in place with 22 airline partners and two rail companies. The airline also has an interline agreement with over 115 airlines and rail companies.

Emirates has resumed passenger services to more than 120 destinations via Dubai.

IAI to convert Boeing 777-300ER passenger aircraft to cargo configuration for Emirates

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) signed an agreement to convert four Boeing 777-300ER passenger aircraft to cargo configuration for Emirates. The aircraft will be converted at the new site established in Etihad Engineeringโ€™s MRO center in Abu Dhabi, and the first conversion of the Emirates plane is expected to begin in early 2023. The agreement has potential to provide passenger-to-freighter conversion services to more aircraft.

Dubai-based Emirates is the largest operator of Boeing 777-300ER aircraft in the world and Emirates SkyCargo is a leading player in the global air cargo industry. This agreement between IAI, the global leader in the cargo conversion industry, and the cargo division of Emirates is a testament to the strong ties between IAI and the UAE.

 

 

Emirates announces a major retrofit program for 105 aircraft

Emirates made this announcement:

  • Airline to install Premium Economy cabins in 53 Boeing 777s and 52 more A380 aircraft, considering upgrades to 777 Business Class cabin with new seats in 1-2-1 configuration
  • 18 month retrofit program at Emirates Engineering Centre in Dubai to commence at the end of 2022

At the Dubai Airshow 2021, Emirates announced that it will retrofit 105 of its modern wide-body aircraft with its Premium Economy product, in addition to other cabin enhancements.

The 18-month retrofit program, scheduled to begin at the end of 2022, will be entirely conducted at Emiratesโ€™ state-of-the-art Engineering Centre in Dubai. It will see 52 Emirates A380s and 53 Boeing 777s fitted with a new cabin class โ€“ the airlineโ€™s highly lauded Premium Economy. The airline is also considering installing a brand new Business Class product on its Boeing 777 aircraft, with customized seats in a 1-2-1 layout.

Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline, said: โ€œEmirates is investing in this retrofit program to ensure that we continue to serve our customersโ€™ needs, and provide the best experiences in the sky. Since we introduced our Premium Economy seats a year back, weโ€™ve received a hugely positive response. Customers have been amazed by the quality and comfort. As Emirates has done with our signature First, Business and full-service Economy travel experiences, we intend to further develop our Premium Economy into a distinctive Emirates experience that is unmatched in the industry. We are also considering a brand new Business Class product. More details will be revealed in due course.โ€

Sir Tim added: โ€œIt is also a source of pride that the entire retrofit project will be conducted at our home base in Dubai. It demonstrates the strong aviation capabilities that has been built up within Emirates airline and the broader UAE ecosystem to support such a highly specialized and technical program.โ€

At the end of the retrofit program, Emirates will have a total of 111 Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 aircraft offering Premium Economy seats, including the 6 A380s that would have been delivered to the airline with four cabin classes by December 2021.

On the Emirates Boeing 777, 5 rows of Economy class seats located just behind Business Class will be removed to install 24 Premium Economy seats laid out in 2-4-2 configuration. On the Emirates A380, 56 Premium Economy seats will installed at the front of the main deck also in 2-4-2 configuration.

Emirates Premium Economy

Emiratesโ€™ Premium Economy is in a class of its own. Covered in the finest quality anti-stain leather with stitching details and a wood panel finishing, each seat is designed to provide optimal comfort and support with 6-way adjustable headrests, calf rests and footrests. Offering a generous pitch of up to 40-inches, each seat is 19.5 inches wide and reclines 8 inches into a comfortable cradle position with ample room to stretch out. Other thoughtful touches include easily accessible in-seat charging points, a wide dining table and side cocktail table.

On their 13.3-inch personal seat-back screen, one of the largest in its class, customers can enjoy the unmatched array of music, movies, TV, news and other content on Emiratesโ€™ award-winning ice.

By end of December 2021, Emiratesโ€™ A380s with Premium Economy will be operating on the airlineโ€™s flights to Frankfurt, London Heathrow, New York JFK and Paris.

Emirates president says the airline is making a profit โ€” despite 80 aircraft still on the ground

From CNBC:

Emirates President Tim Clark told CNBC at the Dubai Air Show that the airline is bouncing back with a “high degree” of robustness.

See the video interview:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/emirates-president-says-the-airline-is-making-a-profit-despite-80-aircraft-still-on-the-ground/vi-AAQGI3T?ocid=msedgntp

Emirates orders two additional Boeing 777 freighters

Emirates SkyCargo (Emirates Airline) Boeing 777-F1H A6-EFE (msn 35607) AMS (Ton Jochems). Image: 955853.

Boeing and Emirates today announced an order for two 777 Freighters at the 2021 Dubai Airshow, expanding the future capability of one of the world’s largest cargo airlines at a time of significant global demand for air freight.

A Boeing 777 Freighter operated by Emirates SkyCargo (Emirates photo)

The freighters will be operated by Emirates SkyCargo, which currently operates an all-Boeing fleet of 10 777 Freighters and also carries cargo on Emirates’ 134 777 passenger airplanes. Valued at more than $704 million at list prices, the orders were previously attributed to an unidentified customer on Boeing’s Orders and Deliveries website.

Top Copyright Photo: Emirates SkyCargo (Emirates Airline) Boeing 777-F1H A6-EFE (msn 35607) AMS (Ton Jochems). Image: 955853.

Emirates aircraft slide show:

Emirates aircraft photo gallery:

Emirates Group reports a half-yearย net lossย of AED 5.7 billion ($1.6 billion)

right side

Emirates Group released this financial report:

  • Group:ย Revenue up 81% to AED 24.7 billion (US$ 6.7 billion), and loss of AED 5.7 billion (US$ 1.6 billion) after last yearโ€™s loss of AED 14.1 billion (US$ 3.8 billion). Substantially improved results reflect recovery across all business segments and easing of COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions worldwide.
  • Emirates:ย Revenue up 86% to AED 21.7 billion (US$ 5.9 billion), and loss of AED 5.8 billion (US$ 1.6 billion) compared to AED 12.6 billion (US$ 3.4 billion) loss for the same period last year. Revenue recovery supported by increasing passenger demand and continuous strong cargo business.
  • dnata:ย Revenue up 55% to AED 3.7 billion (US$ 1 billion), profit of AED 85 million (US$ 23 million) after last yearโ€™s loss of AED 1.5 billion (US$ 396 million), as operations across all dnata business units globally recover from the substantial impact of COVID-19.

 

The Emirates Group today announced its half-year results for its 2021-22 financial year.

Groupย revenue was AED 24.7 billion (US$ 6.7 billion) for the first six months of 2021-22, up 81% from AED 13.7 billion (US$ 3.7 billion) during the same period last year. This strong revenue recovery was underpinned by the easing of travel restrictions worldwide and the corresponding increase in demand for air transport as countries progressed their COVID-19 vaccination programs.

The Group is reporting a 2021-22 half-yearย net lossย of AED 5.7 billion (US$ 1.6 billion), substantially improved from its AED 14.1 billion (US$ 3.8 billion) loss for the same period last year.

The Group also reported anย EBITDAย of AED 5.6 billion (US$ 1.5 billion), a dramatic turnaround from a negative AED 43 million (US$ 12 million) EBITDA during the same period last year, illustrating its strong return to operating profitability.

The Group continued to maintain a healthyย cash positionย which stood at AED 18.8 billion (US$ 5.1 billion) on 30 September 2021, compared to AED 19.8 billion (US$ 5.4 billion) as on 31ย March 2021.

His Highness (HH) Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group said: โ€œAs we began our 2021-22 financial year, COVID-19 vaccination programs were being rolled out at unprecedented scale around the world. Across the Group, we saw operations and demand pick up as countries started to ease travel restrictions. This momentum accelerated over the summer and continues to grow steadily into the winter season and beyond.

โ€œOur cargo transport and handling businesses continued to perform strongly, providing the bedrock upon which we were able to quickly reinstate passenger services. While thereโ€™s still some way to go before we restore our operations to pre-pandemic levels and return to profitability, we are well on the recovery path with healthy revenue and a solid cash balance at the end of our first half of 2021-22.

Sheikh Ahmed added: โ€œWe would like to thank our customers for their continued support, as well asย all our aviation and travel industry stakeholders and partners for their efforts that have made it possible for international air travel to resume safely and smoothly.โ€

โ€œOur ability to pivot and pull through the toughest period in our history to date, can be attributed to Emiratesโ€™ and dnataโ€™s strong brands, high quality products and services, digital and innovation capabilities, and our amazing people. We intend to continue investing in these core areas to take our business into the future, together with the leaner processes and new technology capabilities that weโ€™ve implemented in the past months.โ€

The Emirates Group has been able to tap on its own strong cash reserves, and access funding through its Owner and the broader financial community to support its business needs through the unprecedented challenges wrought on the aviation and travel industry by COVID-19. In the first half of 2021-22, its Owner further injected AED 2.5 billion (US$ 681 million) into Emirates by way of an equity investment and they continue to support the airline on its recovery path.

The Emirates Groupโ€™s employee base, compared to 31 March 2021, dropped marginally by 2% to an overall count of 73,571 at 30 September 2021. In line with the expected ramp up in capacity and business activities in the coming months, Emirates and dnata have embarked on targeted recruitment drives to support its requirements, prioritizing the rehiring of employees previously on furlough or made redundant.

Emirates airline

During the first six months of 2021-22, Emirates took delivery of 2 new A380s and retired 2 older aircraft from its fleet as part of its long-standing strategy to improve overall efficiency, minimize its emissions footprint, and provide high quality customer experiences.

With a clear focus on restoring its passenger network and connections through its Dubai hub, Emirates responded with agility whenever travel restrictions lifted to restart services or layer on additional flights. In July, it launched services to Miami, a new destination, and during the first half of 2021-22, Emirates also activated codeshare and interline partnerships with Airlink, Aeromar, Azul, Cemair and South African Airways to expand connectivity options for customers.

By September 30, 2021, the airline was operating passenger and cargo services to 139 airports, utilizing its entire Boeing 777 fleet and 37 A380s.

Emirates also continued to introduce initiatives that improve travel experience, boost customer confidence, and enable secure and efficient operations. In June, Emirates became the first airline to sign up for the worldwide implementation of the IATA Travel Pass, in addition its ongoing investments in additional biometric and other digital verification technologies at Dubai Airport.

For its premium customer and frequent flyers, Emirates reinstated more of its signatures Lounge and Chauffeur Drive services at key airports outside of Dubai, and it alsoย launched an online subscription platform โ€œSkywards+โ€, to offer its 27 million members easy access to customized rewards and privileges.

Overall capacity during the first six months of the year increased by 66% to 16.3 billion Available Tonne Kilometers (ATKM) due to a substantially expanded flight program as more countries eased travel and flight restrictions. Capacity measured in Available Seat Kilometers (ASKM), more than tripled by 250%, whilst passenger traffic carried measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometers (RPKM) was up by 335% with average Passenger Seat Factorย recovering to 47.9%, compared with last yearโ€™s pandemic figure of 38.6%.

Emirates carried 6.1 million passengers between 1 April and 30 September 2021, up 319% from the same period last year. The volume of cargo uplifted at 1.1 million tonnes has increased by 39%, which brings the business back to 90% of pre-pandemic (2019) levels by volume handled. This shows Emirates Skycargoโ€™s outstanding agility and ability to meet the requirements of its customers whether it be for the transport of vaccines and pharmaceuticals, essential goods like food and perishables, or champion horses and high performance cars.

In the first half of 2021-22, Emirates Skycargo boosted its pharma cool chain handling infrastructure with the addition ofย 94 cool room pallet positions to its existing EU GDP compliant infrastructure at Dubaiย airport. Emirates Skycargo continues to support the global roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines, having carried over 150 million doses through its Dubai hub by July 2021.

In the first half of the 2021-22 financial year,ย Emiratesย lossย was AED 5.8 billion (US$ 1.6 billion), compared to last yearโ€™s loss of AED 12.6 billion (US$ 3.4 billion). Emiratesย revenue, including other operating income, of AED 21.7 billion (US$ 5.9 billion) was up 86% compared with the AED 11.7 billion (US$ 3.2 billion) recorded during the same period last year. The strong revenue recovery reflects quick return of passenger demand wherever flight and travel restrictions were eased around the world.

Emirates operating costs increased by 22% against an overall capacity growth of 66%. Fuel costs more than doubled compared to the same period last year. This was primarily due to an 81% higher fuel uplift in line with substantially increased flight operations during the six-month period up to end of September, and also an increase in average oil prices. Fuel, which was the largest component of the airlineโ€™s operating cost in pre-pandemic reporting cycles, accounted for 20% of operating costs compared to only 11% in the first six months of last year.

Driven by the significant increase in operations during the six months,ย Emiratesโ€™ EBITDAย recovered to AED 5.0 billion (US$ 1.4 billion) compared to AED 290 million (US$ 79 million) for the same period last year.

dnata

dnataโ€™s businesses in cargo and ground handling, catering and retail, and travel services saw demand return quickly wherever pandemic-related flight and travel restrictions were eased. Demonstrating the agility and capability of its highly skilled teams, dnata was able to respond quickly to customer needs with high quality services – from supporting its airline customers in reinstating flight operations safely and smoothly, to helping customers book their long-awaited travel plans.

dnata also continued to invest in critical infrastructure to deliver more efficient world class services to its customers. In the first six months of 2021-22, dnata opened a 5,000 square meter workshop dedicated to providing advanced maintenance for airside passenger buses at Dubai airport.

dnataโ€™sย revenue, including other operating income, was AED 3.7 billion (US$ 1 billion), a 55% increase compared to AED 2.4 billion (US$ 644 million) last year.

Overall profitย for dnata is AED 85 million (US$ 23 million), compared to last yearโ€™s loss of AED 1.5 billion (US$ 396 million).

dnataโ€™s airport operationsย remains the largest contributor to revenue with AED 2.5 billion (US$ 688 million), a 52% increase as compared to the same period last year.ย Across its operations, the number of aircraft handled by dnata increased sharply by 116% to 222,668, and it handled 1.4 million tonnes of cargo, up 9%.

dnataโ€™s flight cateringย and retail operation, contributed AED 766 million (US$ 209 million) to its revenue, up 80%. The number of meals uplifted doubled to 16.6 million meals for the first half of the financial year after last yearโ€™s 8.3 million.

dnata’s travel divisionย contributed AED 147 million (US$ 40 million) to revenue after AED 95 million (US$ 26 million) for the same period last year, up 55%. The division reported an underlying total transactional value (TTV) sales of AED 726 million (US$ 198 million), after an exceptional negative TTV of AED 246 million (US$ 67 million) for the same period last year which was caused by the significant volumes of refunds and pay-out in cancelled customer bookings at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020.

Top Copyright Photo: Emirates Airline Airbus A380-861 A6-EEU (msn 147) (Dubai Expo – Oct 2021 – Mar 2022) ZRH (Rolf Wallner). Image: 955680.

Emirates aircraft slide show:

Emirates aircraft photo gallery: