Dubai: Dubai-based international air carrier, Emirates, is optimistic about the next summer season, expecting a strong recovery with full occupancy rates on a large number of flights within its global network of destinations.
To serve more routes amidst the continuing momentum in customer demand following the COVID-19 pandemic, the airline is adding five new Airbus A380s to its summer flight schedule. Mr. Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer, revealed that customer demand is still witnessing strong levels, and it is expected that 2023 will be a year of strong recovery, exceeding the levels recorded during 2022.
Mr. Kazim further explained that Emirates is deploying a fleet of 85 A380s, which increases to 95 in the summer peak season by the end of the financial year in March 2024. The wide-body airliner is serving 43 destinations in the summer flight schedule, and the airline operates about 3,080 departure flights per week or more than 440 flights per day for passengers within its global network. Mr. Kazim also shared that the airline is considering adding more capacity to the North American market and other global markets such as China, in conjunction with the deployment of more aircraft into service and the delivery of the first aircraft from its order for the Airbus A350.
Emirates is planning to debut flights to five new cities including London, Christchurch, Sydney, Melbourne, and Auckland, in addition to San Francisco (15th July 2023), Singapore (1st June 2023), and Houston (15th June 2023). Emirates is part of the sustainability initiatives taking place in the UAE, as the airline’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint are increasing in line with the growth in passenger numbers.
Emirates successfully completed a demonstration flight powered by 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) as part of the global aviation industry’s push to use more of the greener fuel to meet carbon emission targets. Additionally, the airline recycled 500,000 KG of plastic and glass discarded on board flights.
At the Arabian Travel Market (ATM 2023) in Dubai, Emirates received 16,000 visitors, held 300 business meetings, and signed eight agreements with travel and tourism agencies.