Surging numbers of customers has set new records at Dubai-based Emirates Airline.
The international carrier enjoyed a bumper August, with a total of 1,009,636 people flying on its ever-growing network. This compares with 792,399 last August, up more than 27 per cent.
Emirates also achieved a new record of 2,115 departures from Dubai International Airport, against 1,577 in August 2002.
And freight loads surged to 52,430 tonnes, 28 per cent more than last August and the most ever carried by the airline - which pays special attention to cargo.
Emirates Group chairman, Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, said: “This highlights the success of Dubai’s drive to become the new global transportation hub for the 21st century and attract 15 million visitors by the year 2010.
“We are doing our utmost to help the Government by providing every customer with top-quality service at affordable prices, and we are heartened to find so many travellers acknowledging our efforts.
“We are delighted to see Dubai working so well as an airline hub, and this, our ever-growing route network is enabling us to exceed even our own expectations for growth,” he said.
Initiatives include aircraft orders valued at $19 billion, taking Emirates’ fleet to 125 by the year 2015; next year’s launch of services to and from the Americas, the one continent it does not yet serve; continuing expansion of routes and flights; improvements to cabin service and entertainment; an exclusive new airport terminal; and more staff to care for the 26 million passengers the airline expects in 2010.