posted by Vacation Home Rentals on Sep 15
Emirates Airlines is based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The eighth largest airline in the world, Emirates was founded in 1985 and has its main hub at Dubai International Airport. Emirates Airlines serves 92 destinations in 55 countries and is the largest airline in the Middle East. Emirates Airlines does not offer domestic service and has a strong presence in Southeast Asia. Emirates is one of only six airlines to operate an all wide-body aircraft fleet, consisting of Boeing and Airbus planes.
Emirates Airlines is unique among air carriers in that it has been consistently profitable. The company has only had one year it marked a loss. Moreover, sales growth has never fallen below 20 per cent a year. During its first eleven years, the company doubled in size every three and one-half years, and it has continued to double in size every four years since. Its efficient, lean workforce gives it all the advantages of a low-cost carrier. The airline is a member of the Arab Air Carriers Organization, founded in 1965 by the Arab League as a regional airline trade organization. Open to any carrier based in any member state in the Arab League, the Arab Air Carriers Organization seeks to promote safety, quality, and cooperation among the airlines of the Arab nations.
The government in Dubai is both owner and operator of Emirates Airlines, but it does not invest money into the airline or manage its airfares. The UAE allows Emirates Airlines to function independently. This unique arrangement has worked quite well for both the airline and the government, as Emirates enjoys unmatched profitability and growth.
Emirates Airlines also runs a cargo carrier, Emirates SkyCargo. Also based at Dubai International Airport, Emirates SkyCargo functions like a passenger airline. It operates nine aircraft, and also uses the cargo capacity of the passenger fleet.
Emirates was the second carrier to place the Airbus A380 into service, accepting delivery in July 2008. Emirates Airlines flies the A380 between Dubai and JFK (New York) and Heathrow (London), and also on its flights to Australia and New Zealand.
Emirates flies to over 100 destinations in 56 countries on six continents from its primary hub in Dubai. While Emirates does not maintain sizable hubs elsewhere, it has taken advantage of agreements between Dubai and Australia, and with Singapore, to offer more onward connections from Sydney and Dubai.
Emirates passengers enjoy the perks of Skywards, allowing them to accumulate or spend frequent flier miles on Emirates or any of its Skywards partners, including Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Virgin Blue, South African Airways, Continental, Kingfisher, and United.
Emirates also has a stake in Dnata, one of the premier travel service organizations in the Middle East. Dnata has over 6,500 employees who take care of cargo, ramp, technical, and passenger services at Dubai International Airport.
Dnata, Emirates SkyCargo, and Emirates Airlines are all subsidiaries of The Emirates Group, an international public holding company also with headquarters in Dubai. The airline currently employs about 35,000 staff.