The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Emirates

  • Emirates, Arik Air sign deal

    Emirates Airlines and Arik Air  have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to boost their  commercial relationship.

    The deal was signed by Adnan Kazim, Emirates Divisional Senior Vice President, Planning, Aeropolitical and Industry Affairs, and Chris Ndlulue, Arik Air’s Managing Director, at Emirates Group Headquarters in Dubai.

    Emirates and Arik Air have a one-way interline agreement, whereby Emirates passengers are connected throughout Nigeria and West Africa via Arik Air’s current domestic and regional network.

    “Both Emirates and Arik Air have expressed interest in exploring ways to expand on our existing commercial relationship and to look at different areas in which we can cooperate that will be mutually beneficial to both airlines, including seamless connectivity for our customers on our respective networks.

    We also intend to explore the potential of code share arrangements as passenger traffic flows mature between both parties’ networks,” said Kazim.

    “Arik Air is delighted to partner with Emirates. Both airlines share a similar vision of convenience and safety for our customers.

    “While Arik Air is happy to open its network in Nigeria and West Africa to Emirates passengers, we are excited at the vast worldwide network of Emirates being made available to Arik Air’s passengers.

    The invaluable cooperation between the two airlines offers a lot of synergy to both airlines in achieving their objectives,” added Mr Ndlulue.

    Emirates and Arik Air will also explore other areas of cooperation for the future, including frequent flier programmes, passenger and cargo handling.

  • Emirates begins Abuja-Dubai daily flights

    Emirates  has connected Abuja to its network. It is Emirates 26th destination in Africa and its 144th worldwide.

    Emirates flight EK785 has landed at Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport marking the start of the airline’s daily service to its second destination in Nigeria. Services to Lagos were launched over 10 years ago.

    “This new daily flight provides a convenient point to point service for our customers between Abuja and Dubai, and it will meet and further stimulate a vibrant market demand between the two cities. It will also serve our customers in Nigeria and around the network with additional connectivity and daily frequency. Our leisure and business passengers from Nigeria can now better connect to the Middle East, Europe, the United States and Asia via our hub in Dubai. Customers in Abuja can experience our A380 flagship aircraft to 29 destinations around the world, including popular ones like Beijing, Hong Kong, Mumbai, New York, Jeddah and London,” said Adil Al Ghaith, Emirates vice president, Commercial Operations, Northern and Western Africa.

    “With a fast growing economy, Nigeria is a key market for Emirates. We started operations to Nigeria on January 2, 2004, with four flights a week from Dubai to Lagos. Since then, our operations have steadily grown with increases in both frequency and capacity between Lagos and Dubai. Today, we fly twice daily to Lagos and now we have added Abuja, giving us a total of more than 12,200 seats a week, which will further stimulate business and leisure travel, as well as trade,” he added.

    Emirates’ Dubai-Abuja route is served by an Airbus A340-300, which offers 267 seats in a three-class configuration – 12 First Class, 42 Business Class and 213 Economy Class seats. Customers on the route experience Emirates’ award-winning hospitality – from multi-national cabin crew and gourmet cuisine to the ice entertainment system, which offers hundreds of channels of audio and visual entertainment. Customers also enjoy Emirates’ generous baggage allowance of 30kg in Economy Class, 40kg in Business and 50kg in First.

    Emirates SkyCargo, the freight division of the airline, offers over 180 tonnes of cargo capacity weekly on the route. The main imports into Abuja are expected to be machinery, chemicals, transport equipment and manufactured goods, while exports include leather, vegetables and foodstuffs. The additional cargo capacity on the new service will see a further strengthening of the bilateral trade between Nigeria and the UAE.

  • Emirates unveils inflight entertainment for visually impaired

    Emirates unveils inflight entertainment for visually impaired

    Emirates, the global connector of people and places, continues to set industry standards by becoming the first airline to introduce audio description on movies for visually impaired customers on its inflight entertainment system, ice Digital Widescreen.

    Emirates’ ice (information, communication and entertainment) was recently awarded the ‘World’s Best Airline Inflight Entertainment’ award at the SKYTRAX World Airline Awards for the 10th consecutive year.

    Ice now offers Audio Description soundtracks on 16 Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures films including Frozen, Saving Mr. Banks, Cars 2, Monsters University , Marvel’s The Avengers, Toy Story 3 and all four Pirates of the Caribbean movies.

    Audio Description, increasingly common in cinemas and TV, is a recorded narration explaining the scene during the gaps in dialogue, while the film soundtrack continues at its normal pace.

    In 2007, Emirates also worked with Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures to introduce Closed Captions, the technology used by the hard of hearing, for the first time in inflight entertainment as well as showing the actors’ dialogues in subtitles, Closed Captions also include references to sound effects used in the movie.

  • Emirates starts UAE visa services in Lagos

    Emirates-flight-330x185Emirates and its commercial partner Dubai Visa Processing Centre have inaugurated the Dubai Visa Application Services in Lagos. The introduction of this facility is aimed at providing high quality services to applicants from Nigeria seeking the United Arab Emirates visa when travelling to Dubai.

    A statement by the Emirates  said the new Dubai Visa Application Centre would offer greater comfort, convenience and enhance the visa application experience of applicants and travel agents from the country.

    It added that the DVAC in Lagos was operational for accepting visa applications and delivery of UAE visas for travel to Dubai.

    “This inauguration marks the expansion of DVPC’s operation in the African region. Now, the company through its six DVACs operate in four African countries, including Algeria, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa,” the statement said.

    It explained that the DVPC, which operated DVAC located in Lekki, Lagos, was inaugurated by the Regional Manager, West Africa, Emirates, Mr. Manoj Nair, on July 1, adding that Dubai-bound passengers on the Emirates and those wishing to stop in Dubai for a few days could now apply for their UAE visas at the new DVAC.

    Nair was quoted in the statement as saying, “Dubai has so much to offer both the business and leisure travellers with its world class facilities and array of attractions.

    “Visiting and experiencing Dubai has now been made even easier with the opening of the DVPC, and coupled with the award winning service from the Emirates on the ground and in the air; it further enhances the traveller’s experience.”

    The Chief Operating Officer, DVPC and Special Projects, VFS Global, Mr. Vinay Malhotra, said, “The DVPC is honoured to be associated with the Emirates in facilitating the UAE visa application process for Dubai-bound travellers in Lagos, Nigeria.

    “Through this new dedicated facility inaugurated in Lagos, we aim to extend a service that is professional, accessible and convenient for direct applicants and travel agents.

    “The DVPC is privileged to be associated with the Emirates since 2002, and it is their trusted partner and now has 32 Dubai visa application centres in 14 countries in addition to providing online services in over 180 countries worldwide.”

    The statement added that travellers from Nigeria could now enjoy a host of benefits offered by the DVPC, adding that no other guarantor would be required. It also explained that there would be uniform visa fee all year round, irrespective of peak season, festivals and special events, adding that the UAE visa for different durations was now available, including 96-hour (transit visa); 30-day (tourist visa) and 14-day (service/business visa).

  • Emirates, Boeing finalise order for 150 777X aircraft

    UNITED States plane maker Boeing and Emirates Airline have finalised a deal for 150 new 777X mini-jumbo jets.

    The deal, worth $56billion (£33billion) at list prices, was agreed at the Dubai Airshow in November.

    The agreement includes a provision for Emirates to increase its order by a further 50 aircraft.

    Boeing plans to start producing 777X planes in 2017, and has set itself a target of 2020 to deliver the first aircraft.

    “With the order for 150 777Xs, Emirates now has 208 Boeing 777s pending delivery, creating and securing jobs across the supply chain,” said Emirates president Sir Tim Clark.

    “The 777X will offer us operational flexibility in terms of range, more passenger capacity and fuel efficiency, and we look forward to inducting them into our fleet from 2010.”

  • Emirates to fly Abuja, Kano airports

    Emirates to fly Abuja, Kano airports

    Emirates Airlines has secured the approval of the Federal Government to fly into the Nnamdi Azikiwe International and Mallam Aminu Kano International airports.

    This brings to three the number of cities the United Arab Emirates carrier will be flying into.

    Emirates operates two daily flights out of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

    According to the Special Assistant, Media to the Aviation Minister, Mr Joe Obi, the airline has set August as date of commencement of flights.

    He said government gave the approval to enable passengers from Kano and Abuja get to their destinations by air.

    In a statement, he said: “Flowing from the approval granted to Emirates Airline by the Federal Ministry of Aviation, the international carrier said it is set to enhance its operations to Nigeria by launching scheduled daily passenger flights to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja and the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.’

    In a letter to the aviation minister dated February 3, and signed by Salem Obaidalla, Emirates Airlines, Senior Vice President, Aeropolitical and Industry Affairs, the firm expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for the gesture.

    He said the flights would be operated ‘according to the UAE-Nigeria agreement on air services.

  • Emirates to fly from Kano

    EMIRATES and Turkish Airlines have been approved by the Federal Government to fly passengers from theAminu Kano International Airport in Kano and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

    The airlines will join other carriers, such as Middle East Airlines and Egypt Air, which fly from Kano airport.

    Spokesman for Aviation agencies Yakubu Dati said Emirates would determine when it would begin service in accordance with its logistics.

    He said: “You can contact Emirates and confirm. It has been designated to fly to Kano and Abuja so the delay in starting the route is not that of government. There are issues which the airline must consider.

    “We assure the airlines operating from Kano airport that the airport environment is safe.”

  • Kwankwaso in Dubai, woos Emirates Airlines to Kano

    Kwankwaso in Dubai, woos Emirates Airlines to Kano

    Kano State Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso yesterday visited Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the Chairman of Emirates Airlines and Group in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

    The visit centred on how to open opportunities for both parties, especially the need for Emirates Airlines to start operations in Kano.

    Kwankwaso told Al Maktoum that Kano was undergoing massive transformation, adding that there was need for Emirates to begin operations from the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA).

    The governor said Kano, being a foremost commercial centre and a gateway to major cities in West Africa, also has the oldest airport in Nigeria.

    The state’s potential should not be ignored, he said, noting that the airline should contemplate coming to Kano within the shortest possible time in view of the benefits at stake.

    Describing Emirates Airlines as a world-class aviation company, the governor noted that because the company does not service MAKIA, many passengers from Kano go to Lagos to board its aircraft.

    He said coming to Kano would reduce the stress for travellers to and from Dubai as well as other parts of the Middle East and Asia.

    Kwankwaso said his administration recently sponsored some youths to study piloting in at Mideast Aviation Academy, Jordan.

    The governor said the airline could recruit some of them on completion of their training.

    Al Maktoum said the airline, a subsidiary of the Emirate’s Group, is wholly-owned by the government of Dubai through its commercial investment arm, the Investment Corporation of Dubai.

    According to him, the airlines services include an award-winning international cargo division, a full-fledged destination management and leisure division as well as an airline IT developer.

    The Emirates chief assured that the airline would consider the governor’s request to extend its operations to Kano because of the state’s population and strategic commercial importance in Nigeria.

     

  • Emirates upgrades services

    Emirates Airlines will add more than 1,400 seats a week on its Dar es Salaam-Dubai route by introducing a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft from February 1.

    The Airbus 340-500 deployed on one of Dar es Salaam’ daily flight, according to a statement, will be replaced with a larger Boeing 777-300ER, giving 40 per cent boost to seat capacity.

    “Dar es Salaam is one of East Africa’s most popular destinations and the introduction of the new Boeing 777 is a direct response to increasing passenger demand on this route,” said Jean Luc Grillet, Emirates Senior Vice President Commercial Operations for Africa. “Emirates carried 148,000 passengers on flights to and from Dar es Salaam in 2012. With the new Boeing 777 service we expect this to noticeably grow as our customers continue to explore the opportunities Emirates’ global network has to offer.”

    The new aircraft, according the statement, has 360 seats in a three-class configuration offering eight luxurious First Class suits, 42 seats in Business Class and generous space for 310 passengers in Economy Class.

    In addition to carrying more passengers, the operation of the new aircraft will also have a positive impact on Tanzania’s import and export industry.

  • Emirates connects Bangkok

    Emirates Airlines has introduced a fifth daily, non-stop service between Dubai and Bangkok, with the announcement coming just weeks after it launched a daily service between Dubai and Phuket.

    From March 31, 2013, Emirates will operate 35 flights a week between Dubai and Bangkok, plus a daily Airbus A380 service between Bangkok and Hong Kong, and a daily flight between Bangkok and Sydney, which connects on to Christchurch. These services, along with the Phuket flights, take the number of weekly Emirates departures from Thailand to 56.

    March 31, 2013 will also mark the start of the airline’s fourth daily service between Kuala Lumpur and Dubai, while a third daily Manila service started on January 1, 2013 and a third daily.

    Jakarta service will commence on March 1, 2013. Elsewhere in the region, the Singapore service received a boost in capacity following the introduction of a 517-seat A380 to the route in December 2012, while flights from Ho Chi Minh City were launched in June last year.

    “Emirates has been operating flights to Bangkok since 1990 and this capacity increase – combined with the launch of the Phuket service in early December – demonstrates what an important market Thailand is to us,” said Salem Obaidalla, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Far East & Australasia.