EMIRATES LEADS THE POLLS

EMIRATES LEADS THE POLLS

 

DUBAI, U.A.E., 18th May 2008 – Emirates Airline has started the month of May in style, sweeping four major awards for excellence at the Business Traveller Middle East Awards 2008 ceremony in Dubai. A few days later, Emirates was named “Most Popular Airline” in ArabianBusiness.com’s Travel Survey 2008, outflanking the next closest contender by a large margin.

 

In both awards, readers from the region voted for their favourite travel provider.

 

At the Business Traveller Middle East Awards 2008 gala ceremony, Emirates walked away with four of the most coveted airline gongs for “Best Airline”, “Best Business Class”, “Best Regional Airline” and “Best Frequent Flyer Programme”.  In the other three airline categories in which Emirates was eligible to compete, it was ranked amongst the top three.

 

Tim Clark, President, Emirates Airline, and Brian Labelle, Senior Vice President, Skywards, collected these awards on behalf of Emirates.

 

In the ArabianBusiness.com’s travel survey, Emirates garnered 56.35% of all votes for most preferred airline, compared to the next ranked airline which gained 10.5% of votes.

 

Mr. Clark said: “Emirates invests millions of dollars in product and service innovation. It has always been our aim to deliver the best possible travel experience, and it is gratifying to be recognised for our efforts by the region’s business travellers – our core customers.

 

“We intend to keep our customers at the centre of all that we do, listening to what they want, as we develop new products and services that will raise the luxury standards for air travel and make travel with Emirates even more enjoyable.”

 

Emirates pioneered true luxury in commercial air travel on its Airbus A340-500 aircraft in 2003, when it introduced the world’s first private suites in its First Class cabin, and over 600 channels of on-demand entertainment in all seats in all classes. Feedback from travellers was tremendous.

 

Today Emirates’ new aircraft are delivered with private suites fitted in First Class, lie-flat seats in Business Class, ergonomic seats in Economy Class, and 1,000 channels of on-demand entertainment in all seats. The airline also implemented an aggressive retrofit programme to bring these latest inflight amenities to the rest of its fleet. To date, nearly half of Emirates’ fleet are equipped with these latest comforts.

 

Dubai-based Emirates is one of the world’s most successful and profitable airlines. Operating services to 99 cities spanning 62 countries on six continents, Emirates has earned a reputation for inflight innovation and industry-leading service, and has won more than 400 international awards for excellence across its operations.-ends

 

Photocaption: Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline receives the “Best Airline” award from Martyn Lewis CBE, one of Britain’s best known TV news journalists, who presented the trophies at the Business Traveller Middle East Awards 2008 gala ceremony.

 

 

Since its launch in 1985, Emirates Airline has received more than 300 international awards in recognition of its efforts to provide unsurpassed levels of customer service.

 

Emirates is the world’s third most profitable and among the fastest growing and 20 largest international airlines. It is based in Dubai, one of the few cities in the world that pursues an open-skies policy, with more than 110 airlines in free and fair competition.

 

Emirates global network now features services to 99 cities in 62 countries in Europe, North America, the Middle East, Africa, the Indian subcontinent and Asia-Pacific. Emirates launched non-stop daily flights to Cape Town on 30th March, and further new destinations announced for 2008 include: Guangzhou and Kozhikode from 1st July, Los Angeles from 1st September, San Francisco from 26th October and Durban from 1st December.

 

In November 2007 Emirates confirmed Australia’s status as a premier trade and tourism destination by announcing its flights to Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney would grow to 70 a week by 2009.

 

Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney will all receive additional flights, new aircraft and capacity representing a multi-billion dollar commitment to the Australian market involving the newest, most luxurious and greenest aircraft in the sky.

 

Emirates currently operates 49 flights per week from Australia to Dubai. This includes a double-daily service from Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. One service daily from Sydney operates via Bangkok while one service daily from Melbourne operates via Singapore. Brisbane operates daily flights to Dubai via Singapore, with a second daily direct service to be launched in October 2008 using the state of the art Airbus A340-500.

 

Emirates operates 28 flights per week into New Zealand – daily into Christchurch from Sydney and thrice daily into Auckland from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. 

 

For flight information and bookings contact Emirates on 1300 303 777, visit your local travel agent or www.emirates.com/au.