Emirates has received an impressive five global and regional awards from two prestigious travel and aviation ceremonies in the past week, winning the titles of ‘Best Airline in the World’ and ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’ at the ULTRAs 2022 awards, and a further ‘World Class Award’, ‘5 Star Global Official Airline Rating’, and ‘Passenger Choice Award for Best Global Entertainment’ at APEX 2023 awards.
Based on a combination of certified passenger feedback and professional audits, Emirates was honoured with a ‘World Class Award’ for safety, well-being, sustainability, service, and inclusiveness, a ‘5 Star Global Official Airline Rating’ recognising all aspects of the global airline, and a ‘Passenger Choice Award for Best Global Entertainment’ for the best-in-class ice inflight entertainment system, at the APEX/IFSA expo in Long Beach, California on 26 October. APEX is one of the world’s largest international airline associations, hosting an annual industry awards ceremony since 2018.
Days later at the glittering ULTRAs 2022 award ceremony in the Pan Pacific London, Emirates was honoured with two top awards – ‘Best Airline in the World’ and ‘Best Airline in the Middle East.’ Emirates was highlighted for its industry-leading services, global network, and best-in-class travel experiences, at the ceremony on 31 October. The ULTRA awards are also decided by consumer votes, an international community of two million travellers who have recognised Emirates as the leading airline in the world for luxury travel.
Alongside many notable members in the travel industry, Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline, attended the event and received the ULTRA’s awards in London, while Patrick Brannelly, SVP of Retail, IFE and Connectivity attended the APEX awards in California.
After both events, Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline, commented: “We are very pleased to be recognised once again at the ULTRAs 2022 and APEX 2023 awards. These accolades reflect the hard work and commitment of our teams to make our brand promise – ‘fly better’ – a reality for customers worldwide. And it’s still full speed ahead at Emirates. We’ve made a multi-billion-dollar investment to entirely refit the interiors of over 120 aircraft, bring new menus on-board, and a host of other enhancements that will take Emirates’ signature experience to new heights. With a growing network of more than 130 destinations, Emirates will continue connecting the world in style and comfort, via our home and hub, Dubai.”
Nick Perry, Chairman of Ultratravel added: “These awards are a tribute to not only the enduring quality of what Emirates offers to luxury travellers, but also that its ever-popular hub in Dubai stayed open and Emirates kept flying throughout the pandemic – making sure they continued to serve those who needed to travel. It is a pleasure to award Emirates with these well-deserved titles today, and we look forward to seeing what Emirates continues to deliver over the next year.”
APEX/IFSA Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Joe Leader remarked: “The APEX World Class audit is an in-depth analysis of quality of service, airline safety, and advancement of sustainability. Only eight airlines in the world reached the 2023 APEX World Class pinnacle, Emirates continues to shine by taking care of its economy customers with a quality of care historically held for higher classes. The ingenious advancements in Premium Economy, Business Class, and First Class continue to set an extraordinarily high bar. Emirates’ ice in-flight-entertainment system continues to stay ahead of its competitors, according to over 1 million verified flights provided to APEX- Emirates is the 2023 APEX Passenger Choice for Best In-Flight Entertainment in the World.
Best in the industry
Emirates is renowned for its industry-leading initiatives and unmatched travel experiences. Earlier this year, the airline was recognised at the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2022, taking home three coveted awards including, “World’s Best Economy Class,” “World’s Best Economy Class Catering,” and for the 17th consecutive time, “World’s Best Inflight Entertainment.”
Flying better into the future
The airline recently announced a US$ 2 billion investment to enhance the on-board experience for customers. This includes: the largest-known airline retrofit programme of 120 aircraft fitted with Emirates Premium Economy cabins and latest interiors across all cabins; a new hospitality-focused service delivery model; and enhanced menus to offer customers elevated meal choices, new vegan menus, and a “cinema in the sky’ experience. Emirates has also invested more than US$ 350 million with Thales to equip its incoming fleet of A350s with next generation inflight entertainment solutions, offering passengers high-definition screens and a memorable cinematic experience.
Connecting the world via Dubai
Emirates currently serves customers across six continents and operates the world’s largest fleet of wide-body Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 aircraft, offering spacious cabins and iconic inflight features such as its A380 Shower Spa and Onboard Lounge. Customers on-board will also enjoy the warm hospitality of the airline’s multinational crew of more than 160 nationalities, regionally inspired gourmet cuisine, and award-winning inflight entertainment system – ice – offering more than 5,000 channels of the best movies, TV shows, live TV, podcasts and music.