Emirates airline has been awarded the Air Transport World’s ‘Airline of the Year’ at a gala dinner in Washington, DC. The award for the Dubai based airline was presented to Emirates President Tim Clark who had the following to say.
“The last few years have been among the most demanding in our industry’s history but despite the challenges, we have kept our focus on delivering the very highest standards of product, passenger comfort and operational efficiency. This recognition is testament to our commitment to innovation and service excellence as we continue to grow our global network and offer customers more opportunities to discover the world from Dubai.”
Perry Flint, Editorial Director for ATW went on to say,
“Customers have a choice to fly Emirates, given that more than 125 airlines serve Dubai International Airport. The route network appeals to travelers not only in the UAE, but to those in Europe, Asia, Africa and North America who value the efficiency and connectivity of the Dubai hub.”
“A cornerstone of EK’s success has been a relentless drive for cabin innovation not just in premium class but in economy,” added Flint. “The decision to award Emirates ‘Airline of the Year’ is in recognition for its strong commitment to safety and operational excellence, its trendsetting customer service and its superb financial performance including a 22-year consecutive annual profit streak.”
Since launching services in 1985, Emirates airline has become one of the largest and most dynamic airlines in the world, transforming Dubai into a world-class hub for global air travel. Emirates airline is a leader in developing flexible air routings that save fuel and reduce CO2 emissions. These advances, combined with a host of other achievements have resulted in more than 400 international awards recognising the airline in almost every category.
Some of Emirates’ pioneering innovations include becoming the first airline to introduce individual seat back videos and to enable passengers to make authorised onboard mobile phone calls. Emirates’ flagship A380’s are the only commercial aircraft to feature onboard shower spas for first class passengers.
Emirtes has experienced rapid and consistent growth, above 20% a year on average. Financially self-sustained and unprotected, Emirates carried 27.5 million passengers in the 2009-10 financial year, almost 4.7 million more than the previous year.
Emirates currently flies to 110 cities in 66 countries – Flights from Dubai Airport