Outlook 2006?
Emirates anticipates an exciting year as we forge ahead with expansion and initiatives to enhance our route network and services.
We intend to launch services to eight new destinations this year, starting with Trivandrum and Abidjan on February 1. Hamburg, our fourth destination in Germany, will be launched on March 1, followed by Kolkatta in India on March 16, to Copenhagen on October 3 and later to Nagoya and Beijing. We will also increase service frequency to many existing destinations.
Emirates’ modern aircraft fleet, which presently stands at 88, is expanding at the rate of more than one new aircraft a month.
For the customer
Our customers can look forward to the opening of new dedicated airport lounges around the world, and access to Emirates’ convenient internet check-in facility as we expand the service to more than 55 cities worldwide. We are also upgrading the interiors and inflight entertainment systems in our existing Boeing 777 fleet, which will provide our passengers with even greater comfort onboard and over 500 channels of entertainment on-demand. Emirates continually strives to provide the best possible service on every route - whether onboard or on the ground. We constantly review our operational processes and implement industry best practices; at the same time, we keep our ears on the ground to understand and meet the changing needs of our customers. 2006 should see many more service enhancements being implemented.
Strategy in the face of competition?
Competition is not new in this industry. We succeed by keeping our focus on quality service and offering our customers real value for money. Based in Dubai, a city that pursues an open skies policy, Emirates competes with more than 110 airlines operating out of the city.
Our business model relies on a relatively low-cost structure, with unit operating costs in the low range of the industry. Although Emirates is a full-service airline, its cost per seat mile – 8.5 cents – is more akin to low-cost carriers. Emirates’ productivity has been 66 per cent greater than the average for all IATA airlines. This cost-efficiency coupled with our investment in an ultra modern fleet, keeps our customers coming back to us, and helps us stay ahead of the competition.