Emirates Airline over the years has not only become one of the biggest names in civil aviation but has constantly raised the standards of the entire global airline industry.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and CEO of Emirates Airline and Group, said in a Tweet: “Thirty-seven years ago today, Emirates started its journey with flights to Karachi and Mumbai. The airline was small back then, but its ambitions were large. And soon enough, it grew to become a global leader in the aviation industry, and we’ve never lost that pioneering spirit.”
The Dubai flag carrier operates a fleet of 262 modern aircraft and flies to 152 destinations across the world and employs 45,843 staff from 160 nationalities. The airline also served 19 million passengers in 2021-2022.
Here’s a look in on the rise and rise of Emirates.
Sheikh Ahmed at the airline’s inaugural flight from Dubai to Karachi and Mumbai on 25 October 1985, using a Boeing 737 and an Airbus 300 B4 wet‑leased from Pakistan International AirlinesThe first Emirates flight from Dubai to Karachi on 25 October 1985The airline’s first flight from Dubai to Karachi on 25 October 1985Emirates Boeing 727-200 at Dubai International Airport in 1991Emirates Airbus A300, one of the airline’s early fleet, in 1995Sustainability and environmental awareness are at the core of the airline’s operations. Pictured is an Emirates Airbus A380 in the United for Wildlife livery in 2016Emirates first class cabinDubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is pictured in front of an Emirates plane during the Year of Zayed in 2018The carrier is the premier partner and official airline of Expo 2020 DubaiEmirates Business Class LoungeIn 2020, the airline was the largest international airline according to IATA’s World Air Transport Statistics 2021The airline connects the world to, and through, its global hub in DubaiThe Dubai flag carrier has earned a reputation for offering industry‑leading services on the latest and most efficient wide‑body aircraft in the skiesThe airline’s on-board loungeWith Ice inflight entertainment system, passengers are treated with more than 5,000 channels and 1,500 movies updated every monthSheikh Ahmed said in a tweet: “To the entire Emirates family – past and present – I give my eternal thanks for the hard work, perseverance, and passion that has made us who we are today. The journey towards greatness never stops.”
