As the Premier Partner and Official Airline of Expo 2020, how has Emirates adapted to the pandemic to support Dubai Expo 2020?
As Expo 2020 Dubai’s Premier Partner and Official Airline, Emirates Airline will play a key role in bringing visitors to the event. We recently launched an exclusive offer for customers to experience the excitement of the World Expo whereby we are extending an opportunity for those visiting and travelling through Dubai, anytime during the much-awaited event running from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022. Customers visiting or stopping over in Dubai will be eligible to receive a free Emirates Expo Day Pass for every flight ticket booked with Emirates.
The special offer is valid on all return tickets that include a flight to or through Dubai, for travel dates between 1 October 2021 and 31 March 2022 and is applicable to tickets purchased in First Class, Business Class and Economy Class and also extends to tickets booked through Emirates for flights on flydubai and customers travelling to anywhere on Emirates’ global network with a connection time of at least six hours in Dubai. One-way ticket holders whose journey originates outside the UAE are entitled to receive the complimentary Expo Day Pass if travelling to Dubai or onwards to other destinations if the minimum connection time is met.
Additionally, we launched a special offer for our Emirates Skywards members to earn a “Mile-A-Minute” during a holiday or stopover at Dubai. Members can earn 1 Skywards Mile for every 1 minute spent in Dubai between October 2021 and March 2022, earning up to 5,000 Skywards Miles while experiencing the best Dubai has to offer.
Emirates will be showcasing the future of aviation at its dedicated pavilion where consumers will experience the future of commercial aviation in UAE’s centennial year 2071. At the center of this must-see pavilion, visitors can expect to engage in immersive experiences that will provide a glimpse into the future of aircraft cabin design, how the flying experience is being redefined, as well upcoming lightweight materials and technologies that will improve flying performance and fuel economy for a sustainable future. Visitors should also not miss the opportunity to design an aircraft and engage with interactive exhibits that introduce the principles of flight.
The theme of Japan Pavilion, “Where ideas meet” is based on how encounters with external influences have played a key role in the development of Japanese culture and learning, as ideas from other countries and cultures have been embraced and reinterpreted to create something new and uniquely Japanese. Its architecture has a façade design combining traditional Arabesque and Asanoha patterns in a three-dimensional origami design, representing long history of connections and crossing of culture between Japan and the Middle East. A series of exciting presentations using dynamic projections, lights and an all-new audio experience will be exhibited. Visitors from around the world will also be able to discover the joys of the quintessential Japanese dish, sushi, at the Japanese-themed dining area.
Furthermore, as part of Expo 2020’s programme, every participating country will celebrate its National Day, and the date for Japan Day has been fixed for December 11, 2021. Serving as an opportunity to showcase Japan’s highlights and regional initiatives, Japan Day will be marked with events that also tie into the upcoming Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan.
What are your estimations of the volume of travelers entering Dubai through Emirates?
We expect to see a substantial increase in travel demand towards the later part of the year, in line with the start of Dubai Expo 2020 which will run from October 1, 2021 to 31 March, 2022.
Considering Japan’s leading position as an investment partner of Dubai and the UAE, how important is the Japanese market for Emirates?
Japan has always been an important market for Emirates, since we started our operations in 2002, making Emirates the first airline to connect Japan and the Gulf region. For almost 20 years, Emirates has carried over 6.6 million passengers, supporting the country’s tourism industry and connecting friends, families and business’ to Dubai and the world via the airline’s network.
Emirates SkyCargo acted as a conveyor belt for the transport of cargo to/from Japan creating and enhancing trade links from the country to the world. In the FY2019-20, Emirates SkyCargo transported over 26,000 tonnes of cargo from Japan to Dubai and across the airline’s network including Johannesburg, Barcelona, Bahrain and St. Petersburg. Top export commodities carried included high-tech items such as automotive parts, machinery and electrical goods.
Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak Emirates operated 21 weekly passenger services to Japan, and currently the airline operates six flights a week from Narita International Airport in Tokyo and four times weekly from Kansai International Airport in Osaka, both utilizing the B777 aircraft.
How has Emirates adapted and evolved from the pandemic to ensure its success and maintain its leadership position?
Emirates was the first airline to offer free multi-risk travel insurance and COVID-19 cover, so customers can travel with confidence and peace of mind. This cover is offered automatically by Emirates at no cost to customers, on all tickets purchased on or from 1 December 2020. In addition to COVID-19 medical cover, this latest offer has provisions for personal accidents during travel, winter sports cover, loss of personal belongings, and trip disruptions due to unexpected air space closure, travel recommendations or advisories, similar to other multi-risk travel insurance products.
More than 7.2 million passengers have had the peace of mind flying with us knowing they were covered with our multi-risk insurance since it was launched in December 2020.
Japan has always been an important market for Emirates, since we started our operations in 2002, making Emirates the first airline to connect Japan and the Gulf region.
Satish Sethi, Country Manager for Japan at Emirates
We were one of the first airlines in the world to spearhead progressive passenger booking policies to make it easier for them to protect their travel plans. We’ve extended our booking waiver for travel through 31 May 2022, ensuring customers can book with confidence knowing they are fully supported should their travel situation change.
Emirates Skywards has also extended the tier status for over 630,000 Silver, Gold and Platinum members until 2022. It has also extended the validity of 51 billion Skywards Miles, allowing members to hold on to them for future flights, upgrades and other partner rewards.
