Summer travel returns: Emirates sees record booking levels from the UAE, urges customers to book now to avoid disappointment
The Voice of Chandigarh News | Travel Trade Reporter :
As travel rebounds from the impact of the pandemic, Emirates is busy preparing for its busiest period yet, with over 550,000 customers expected to fly out from the UAE between June and July on over 2,400 weekly network-wide departures. The airline continues to add flights and frequencies where possible as it ramps up its summer schedule, and will be operating close to 80% of its pre-pandemic capacity, or over 1 million weekly seats this summer to serve demand.
Daily booking volumes are accelerating as summer holidays draw closer, and Emirates is urging customers who haven’t planned their holidays or made travel arrangements to get ahead and book now to ensure they are able to travel on their preferred dates and flights.
This year, travellers from the UAE will be heading to Emirates’ six UK destinations, Cairo, Amman, Emirates’ nine Indian points, Manila and Beirut to visit family and friends. Leisure travel traffic from the UAE will also be at an all-time high, with scores of travellers, mainly families and couples, making their way to Bangkok, Istanbul, Vienna, Zurich, Nice, Phuket, Singapore, Oslo, Kuala Lumpur, Brisbane and the west coast of the US for extended summer holidays as more countries continue open up for tourism and drop their entry restrictions.
As many customers have been waiting for almost two years to travel, Emirates is working hard to ensure it provides an incredible onboard experience, and a seamless journey on the ground.
On the ground, customers can look forward to a speedy process when they utilise the airline’s biometric path in Terminal 3 for a contactless journey from select check-in desks, Emirates lounges and boarding gates. The airline has also introduced other technology-centric services including self-check-in and bag drop kiosks at DXB for a smoother and contactless airport experience. Emirates customers also now have the option to cut down their wait time with 25 mobile check-in ports, where they can get their boarding cards, weigh and tag their bags, and have any of their questions answered by check-in staff.
Customers based in Ajman and the Northern Emirates can skip the DXB queues and take advantage of the airline’s Ajman check-in facility, open round the clock. From Abu Dhabi, Emirates customers can board the airline’s bus service which now operates five times a day.
First Class customers can take advantage of Emirates’ new Home Check-in Service that offers them the option to check in from home, free of charge. Emirates’ First Class customers based in Dubai and Sharjah, can have Check-in Agents visit their homes or hotels at pre-booked timings to complete all check-in formalities, including document verification, checking-in of baggage, and issuing boarding passes. There is an allocated counter at the airport for any last-minute extra luggage.
Onboard, customers can look forward to regionally inspired dishes, special menus and an unrivalled beverage offering across all classes, as well as a host of other amenities. Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment system, ice, now offers more than 5,000 channels, with content in 40 languages to cater to every taste and preference, including 4,000 hours of the latest movies and TV, and close to 3,500 hours of music and podcasts to choose from. The airline will be flying to 35 A380 destinations this summer, and customers can look forward to the airline’s signature experience on its flagship double-decker, including its tremendously popular Onboard lounge and Shower Spa, amongst other award-winning experiences to be found across every cabin class.
From 1 August, customers travelling from Dubai to London, Paris and Sydney will be able to experience the airline’s full Premium Economy experience, complete with dedicated check-in areas at DXB, luxurious seats offering unrivalled comfort with a pitch of up to 40 inches, soft, sustainable blankets and amenity kits, elevated onboard gastronomy and a premium selection of beverages, amongst other attentive touches.
Customers returning from their holidays abroad can continue their summer experiences on the ground in Dubai with My Emirates Pass. Customers travelling between 1May to 30 September 2022 can enjoy exclusive offers at over 500 locations, including restaurants, big-name retail outlets, spas and exclusive attractions across the city by simply showing their Emirates boarding pass.
