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Şebnem Akalın

Time Flies in the Sky with Emirates Airline

Issue 21 - 2023
Time Flies in the Sky with Emirates Airline

If you had to travel with only one airline for the rest of your life, which would you choose?

In order to answer this question, the passenger needs to weigh their needs, comfort zones, habits, and even experience many flights and make a decision based on their experiences. 

Airlines, especially flag carrier airlines, ask themselves this question as if they were a passenger, and every year, they innovate and add surprising features to their in-flight services to provide more luxury and comfort to their passengers and make each of them loyal customers.

During the week of November 12-17, I traveled to the Dubai Airshow as a guest of Emirates Airline, and once again, I saw that Emirates Airline is determined to attract loyal customers and has all the advantages to do that. Emirates Airline's priority is always safety, but comfort and luxury are not put on the back burner and are as important as safety. 

Emirates Airline operates three daily flights between Istanbul and Dubai, and one of these flights is operated with A380, one of Airbus's iconic aircraft. 

A380 is a double-decker aircraft with a capacity of approximately 399 economy class, 76 business class, and 14 first-class passengers, with an Onboard lounge and spa. Of course, the Onboard lounge is available for business and first-class passengers, while the spa is only available for first-class passengers.

The first-class area is decorated in comforting cream and bronze tones. You can relax in peace and fly in privacy with the doors closed. You'll be surrounded by all the original comforts you love, including your own pop-up minibar, climate and mood lighting controls, and exclusive skincare and fragrances.

A380 Business class seats feature polished woodgrain detailing, and the original minibar tucks sideways for in-flight refreshments. You can watch your favorite entertainment on your 20-inch HD TV or drift off to sleep in the comfort of a lie-flat soft mattress under the ambient glow of overhead lighting.

The economy class is decorated with high ceilings, and surrounding white and champagne tones bring light and space to the cabin. You can enjoy your flight with your 13.3-inch HD TV with various types of entertainment from ICE. And you can lie back in the glow of ambient mood lighting.

ICE is Emirates' in-flight entertainment system, which features movies, TV series, and sporting events so you can travel without losing track of time.

It is worth mentioning that on Emirates flights, food and beverages are served in every class, where the quality of the food is of the highest standard. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks of the highest quality accompany the first-class meals. As a passenger who has traveled between Istanbul and Dubai with different airlines in different classes, I must say that I have never come across an airline that offers better food than Emirates.

First-class and business-class passengers can sip a selection of wines from a specially selected wine cellar, enjoy the finest champagne from France, or socialize at the onboard bar while sipping cocktails or whatever beverage comes to mind. While the first and business-class meals served by private chefs on the finest porcelain cannot be found in most restaurants in France, passengers want their journey at 40,000 feet to never end, and they want to be able to enjoy the entire menu.

When it is time for dessert after dinner or when you are offered chocolate with a cup of coffee, this flavor that takes you on a different journey can be addictive, and you can become a first or business-class addict.

As a matter of fact, we already know all the issues I have mentioned so far at the ticket purchase stage, and we choose the airline we want to travel by taking all these into consideration. In addition to all these, if you ask why, you should select Emirates airline? My answer would be the choice of cabin crew.

The crew taking us from Istanbul to Dubai had 21 members who spoke 17 languages.  Lucas J., the purser of our flight, confident of himself and his team, in command of the whole operation, with both the excitement of loving his job and the calmness of professionalism, showed us around the whole aircraft and  informed us about the aircraft and the flight before we are seated to ensure that we had a great flight. At that moment, he instilled in us that the journey will be comfortable but more importantly safe while we will be travelling in the sky in a small hotel. The colors of this iconic aircraft, which start to impress as you climb up the stairs from the lower floor, are so soft that all the luxury does not tire your eyes. 

We are now up in the air…

We took off shortly after we took our place, but we met the sky without even realizing the aircraft had taken off.

This time, we are passengers in the economy class. During our journey in Economy class, the fact that the flight staff accompanies you throughout the journey without making you feel which class you are flying in gives the signals from the beginning that your trip will be good.

For tall passengers like me, the importance of seat spacing is indisputable, and I have seen in the Emirates airlines economy class that a comfortable journey awaits us even on long journeys.

Shortly after take-off, the cabin crew entered among the passengers with polaroid cameras in their hands, took photos of the passengers who wanted to immortalize the moment of the flight, and presented them with a unique commemorative frame. Of course, I had the chance to be one of those who immortalized that moment.

At the same time, Emirates airline, which does not forget its little passengers, is determined to make its loyal passengers at this age so that they start their journey by distributing beautiful toys. Child and loyal passengers in the future will be the most valuable passengers, so organic fruit juices and baby foods prepared for them were also distributed to families with babies.

When the meal service started, there was a menu consisting of 2 options for short and medium-haul flights. Although I found the food on the way back from Dubai more delicious than the food on the way out of Turkey, the other passengers loved both.

After having my dinner with a beautiful red wine, I watched a film at ICE that has not yet been released in Turkey, and I was able to connect to social media with the internet I bought for a meager fee.

Since it would be evening hours when we arrived, the in-flight lights were dimmed immediately after the catering services were collected, and the stars on the ceiling created a feeling of the sky and aimed to relax a little. While enjoying the calmness and peace, I chose 1-2 technological and innovative products for myself by browsing the in-flight shopping magazine and innovative products that caught my eye, but you can choose various products from cosmetics to fashion that you can buy at the airport without wasting time.

There were so many things I could do on the plane, and after a wonderful journey without realizing how 4 hours passed, we were in Dubai.

Here we are in Dubai...

As soon as you arrive in Dubai, that moment of euphoria that makes you feel like you are on holiday starts at the airport. But this time, we came for business. Although we've come for business, we started to plan our holiday like after every trip.

Dubai is one of the best destinations if you want to go somewhere close to Turkey with your family or friends if you want to be warm in the cool weather, and if you want to do all the activities together. There are so many activities to do in this city that fascinates with its modern life and ethnic structure that you cannot enjoy Dubai just once. In this city, where there are numerous hotel options, you can choose the most suitable hotel to stay in by deciding what kind of holiday you want to prioritize. You can enjoy the sand and sea with your family in the seaside hotels or experience old Dubai by staying in the city hotels, shopping among the world's most luxurious brands in the shopping centers and tasting the world-renowned flavors.

Although there are many places to visit, Deira, Bur Dubai, Downtown Dubai, and Palm Jumeira are at the top of the list to visit. Make a note of this list of places where the old and the new are together, and do not come to Dubai without having seen them.

The Desert Safari, one of the must-do's when you come to Dubai, offers you and your family an experience you will not be able to experience anywhere else.

Of course, this is not the end of the possibilities that will make your holiday unforgettable and will not be forgotten...

Offering extreme sports such as Skydiving, Ziplining, and Flyboarding for thrill lovers 

Dubai also offers skiing at the ski center in the Emirates Mall in the morning and surfing on Dubai's beaches in the afternoon. What a luxury it is to have the chance to enjoy every season's holiday in one day!

In Dubai, which is a complete package, a holiday awaits you where you or your loved ones can share all the experiences without getting bored, but as I said, don't think you can do all this in one go; you'll be planning the next Dubai trip with the Wi-Fi you'll connect on the return flight.

Emirates – Dubai Airshow

Emirates opened Dubai Airshow 2023 with a significant order for an additional 95 wide-body aircraft, bringing the total number of orders to 310 aircraft.

Already the world's largest wide-body passenger aircraft operator.

Emirates, already the world's largest wide-body passenger aircraft operator, has ordered additional Boeing 777-9, 777-8, and 787 aircraft valued at USD 58 billion to strengthen its growth plans, maintain a modern and efficient fleet and offer the best flight experience to its passengers.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President and CEO of Emirates Airline and Group, Stan Deal, President and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Larry Culp, President and CEO of GE and CEO of GE Aerospace, attended the ceremony where the agreement was signed by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Deputy Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Sports Council, also attended.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed made the following statements on the subject: "From day one, Emirates' business model has been to operate modern and efficient wide-body aircraft capable of carrying large numbers of passengers comfortably and safely over long distances to and from Dubai. Today's aircraft orders reflect this strategy."

"These additional aircraft will enable Emirates to connect even more cities and support Dubai's economic agenda D33, set out by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to add 400 cities to Dubai's foreign trade map over the next decade. By the early 2030s, we expect the Emirates fleet to have approximately 350 aircraft, connecting Dubai to more cities worldwide."

Emirates, already the world's largest operator of Boeing 777 aircraft, has signed an order agreement for an additional 55 777-9s and 35 777-8s. This brings the airline's 777-X orders to a total of 205.

Emirates also confirmed an order for 202 additional GE9X engines to power its new 777X fleet, bringing the airline's total GE9X engine order to 460.

The first 777-9s in the previous order of 115 units are expected to join the Emirates fleet starting 2025. Additional orders following the new agreement mean that Emirates will add new 777-9s to its fleet by 2035.

With this latest order, Emirates will also be one of the launch customers of the 777-8 passenger version, with first deliveries expected in 2030.

Sheikh Ahmed continued: "With today's order, Emirates cements its position as the largest user of Boeing 777 aircraft. We have been closely involved with the 777 program from its inception to this latest generation 777X aircraft. The 777 has been at the heart of Emirates' fleet and network strategy to connect cities on all continents to Dubai seamlessly. We are pleased to extend our relationship with Boeing and look forward to the first 777-9 joining our fleet in 2025."

"This order is an incredible vote of confidence in the efficiency and versatility of the 777X family to meet Emirates' global long-haul travel needs," said Stan Deal, President and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The 777-9 and 777-8 are the perfect aircraft to support Emirates' growth plans, improve environmental performance, and provide unmatched payload capacity."

The 777 remains the backbone of Emirates' operations and is distinguished by its mission capacity of up to 18 hours, allowing the airline to connect Dubai to cities on six continents non-stop. The new 777-9 and 777-8s will replace Emirates' decommissioned 777 aircraft and form the basis for the airline's future growth plans.

Emirates also updated its previous order of 30 Boeing 787-9s, increasing its order to a total of 35 Dreamliners, consisting of 15 Boeing 787-10s and 20 Boeing 787-8s . 

When I stepped off the plane, the same question came to my mind: what do they do with the materials no longer used in the interior?

Emirates answered this question by showing me how much importance they attach to recycling. Emirates launches a unique capsule collection of luggage, bags, and accessories - all made from upcycled materials from retrofitted aircraft - that captures both the spirit of innovation embedded in Emirates' culture and its ongoing environmental commitment to responsible consumption. The materials used to create the stylish collection have been sourced from Emirates' iconic A380 and 777 aircraft, offering the chance to own a piece of history. All sorts of surprising materials have been repurposed for the luggage and bags, from aluminum headrests to leather from the sofas in the A380's onboard lounge to seat belts and even the fur from the captain's seat. More than 14,000 kg of materials have already been recovered from the 16 aircraft that have been retrofitted. As the project continues, there is potential to recover up to 270 kg of leather and 627 kg of seat fabric per retrofitted aircraft. The materials used are high-quality pure leather from the first-class seats, seat fabrics made from 95% wool, and pure leather from the captain's seats. All fabrics are freshly laundered in a factory, then deep-cleaned by hand, leather-conditioned where necessary, and thoroughly disinfected before sewn into unique pieces. Brand-new linings are added to the bags. Functional zips are also added. 

As someone who never expected to come across such a good idea on how to recycle, what I've learned makes me very happy.

The fact that our return flight was as perfect as the departure and that every Emirates flight I have been on has been of the same quality with an unchanging perfectionism shows that there is incredible teamwork in this organization where we only see the flight moment.


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