Recently, I got to ask some questions to Emirates covering topics such as how the airline has adapted to the Philippine market, popular destinations among Filipinos, aircraft deployment to the Philippines including the Airbus A380s, and the transit experience at Dubai International Airport.
Among the major foreign airlines serving the Philippines is Emirates. In the more than three decades after the first flight by Emirates to Manila in 1990, the airline has since expanded its operations in the Philippines. Currently, each week Emirates operates 28 flights offering 22,700 seats to and from its hub at Dubai International Airport and three cities in the country – Manila, Cebu, and Clark. From the Philippines, travelers can connect via Dubai to over 140 destinations worldwide.
In the more than thirty years Emirates has served the Philippines, the airline has been a part of the evolution of the Philippine aviation industry. Emirates faces challenges from other airlines – including rival Middle East carriers – for travel to cities in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. The airline also faces competition from both full-service and budget airlines on flights between the Philippines and Dubai.
As Emirates makes major investments to update its fleet and inflight products, the airline is also stepping up its marketing efforts in the Philippines with the opening of the Emirates World Store in Metro Manila – the first of its kind in Southeast Asia. Manila is among a small group of select cities where Emirates has opened up its retail concept stores which includes Dubai, London, Nairobi, and Hong Kong.
Images: Inside the Emirates World Store at BGC, Taguig, Manila (Credit: Emirates)
Even with the modern landscape of air travel to/from the Philippines, Emirates has been a popular choice for travel to destinations beyond the reach of the Philippine-based carriers. Recently, I got to ask some questions to Emirates covering topics such as how the airline has adapted to the Philippine market, popular destinations among Filipinos, aircraft deployment to the Philippines including the Airbus A380s, and the transit experience at Dubai International Airport.
All answers below are quoted as written by Emirates.
Emirates first launched services to Manila in 1990. Since then, the airline has expanded in the Philippines to offer a total of 28 weekly flights between Dubai and three cities – Manila, Clark, and Cebu. During the that time the aviation landscape has evolved with more budget airlines, more international flights outside of Manila, and a competitive transit travel scene. How has Emirates adapted to the changing landscape of Philippine aviation and travel since it first arrived in the country?
Emirates has continuously adapted to the dynamic aviation landscape in the Philippines by expanding its network, increasing flight frequencies, and enhancing the customer experience. Throughout the years, the airline has been continuously strengthening its position as a premium carrier by offering a seamless connection to the rest of the world, providing travelers with a reliable, comfortable, and high-quality onboard offers that feel like an upgrade.
Emirates has also consistently evolved its offerings to cater to the preferences of Filipino travelers.
For instance, our inflight menus include Filipino favorites like Bulalo, Pancit Canton, Beef Tapa, Chicken Tocino, and Bangus Sisig, so Filipino flyers get to have a taste of home, even when away from home.
Our award-winning inflight entertainment system, ice, also features more than 6,500 channels of on-demand content, which include Filipino titles like Buy Bust starring Anne Curtis and Ulan starring Nadine Lustre and Carlo Aquino; as well as music from popular Filipino acts like SB19 and IV of Spades, to name a few.
Emirates also employs nearly 800 Filipino cabin crew who are deployed in various routes across the world, bringing the Filipino brand of hospitality to the world.
Finally, we recently opened the first-ever Emirates World Store in the Far East, located in Manila. The Emirates World Store is designed to respond to local market demands and requirements, which allows us to adapt and be able to offer products and services that are relevant to the needs of our Filipino customers.
One of the selling points for flying with Emirates among travelers to/from the Philippines – Filipinos, residents, and visitors alike – is the ability to connect to more than 130 destinations around the world. Which transit-travel destinations are the most popular among Filipinos, and how has Emirates kept its appeal among Philippine-based customers?
Currently, the top 10 most popular transit-travel destinations among Filipinos flying Emirates are Paris, Dubai, Rome, Istanbul, London, Madrid, Amsterdam, Lisbon, Barcelona, and Milan. Aside from Dubai, all the other nine destinations are connected to Manila via Emirates’ global hub in Dubai. In addition, Emirates has retained its appeal by offering convenient schedules, competitive fares, and industry-leading in-flight experiences. Moreover, its modern fleet and award-winning onboard offers provide comfort and reliability.
Emirates also stands out through its Filipino-friendly offerings, such as Tagalog-speaking cabin crew, regionally inspired meals, and a wide selection of Filipino entertainment options.
From Emirates' hub in Dubai, travelers can connect to major points around the world. How is Emirates working with Dubai International Airport to enhance the transit travel, and departure/arrival experiences at its main hub?
One of the many ways Emirates is continuously enhancing the experience of customers is through the Dubai Connect service, which offers passengers with long layovers in Dubai a seamless travel experience, providing complimentary hotel accommodation, meals, and airport transfers. Available to travelers with connecting flights that exceed a certain layover time, the service aims to enhance comfort during their wait, allowing them to rest or briefly explore the city. This is available for both economy and business class passengers, depending on the duration of the layover and eligibility criteria.
Emirates also has exclusive lounges for First Class and Business Class passengers, as well as unaccompanied minors, where we ensure a comfortable and relaxing journey for them.
First Class and Business Class passengers enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi, gourmet dining, and access to a Business Center as well as a spa.
Unaccompanied minors benefit from special care with a dedicated team to oversee their well-being and smooth transitions through the airport, ensuring a safe and hassle-free travel experience from check-in to boarding.
Image: Emirates Airbus A380 at Dubai International Airport (Credit: Emirates)
Emirates is known for in-flight luxury, but also being the biggest operator of the Airbus A380 – a very popular aircraft among aviation enthusiasts and passengers alike. Is the airline looking for opportunities to bring the superjumbos on regularly scheduled flights to the country in the future? If so, what things need to change for this to happen?
There are currently no plans to deploy the Airbus A380 on Philippine routes, but Emirates is always open to exploring this possibility in the future. The airline continuously evaluates its route network and works closely with airport authorities and operators to assess the viability of introducing the A380, should infrastructure and demand support it.
In addition to its A380 fleet, Emirates has also recently made record investments to update its fleet including orders for the Boeing 777X and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Recently, Emirates has taken delivery of its first Airbus A350 – the first new aircraft type addition to the airline's fleet since 2008. Is there any plans for Emirates to deploy these new aircraft on flights/from to the Philippines?
At present, there are no specific plans to deploy other aircraft on flights to or from the Philippines other than the Boeing 777. However, Emirates is always open to the possibility of deploying other aircraft as part of its ongoing efforts to optimize its fleet and offer the best travel experience to customers.
Last year, Emirates signed an interline agreement with Philippine Airlines. How has the relationship benefited customers in the country, and is there any plans to expand the partnership with the Philippine flag carrier?
The interline agreement between Emirates and Philippine Airlines (PAL) offers seamless connectivity for travelers, allowing Emirates passengers to access key domestic destinations in the Philippines via Manila, Cebu, and Clark, and PAL passengers to reach Emirates destinations in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa through Dubai.
This partnership enables single-ticket bookings, convenient baggage transfers, and a smoother travel experience, reflecting both airlines’ commitment to flexibility and customer satisfaction.
The interline agreement has been expanded, allowing passengers to connect to domestic destinations within Philippine Airlines’ network via Cebu and Clark. This expansion ensures seamless connectivity, enabling travelers to reach more destinations in the Philippines with a single ticket and a convenient baggage policy. At this time, there are no plans for further expansion of the interline agreement; however, we remain open and ready to explore future opportunities as they arise.
Emirates frequent flier program - Emirates Skywards - has more than 30 million members worldwide. How is the Skywards program looking to grow and provide more benefits for Philippine-based members?
The Emirates Skywards program offers members in the Philippines and around the world a wide range of ways to earn and redeem Miles. Members can earn both Skywards Miles and Tier Miles on Emirates and flydubai flights, as well as with global partners in hospitality, retail, and entertainment. Visithttps://www.emirates.com/english/skywards/to learn more about the program.
Miles can be redeemed for exciting rewards, including flight upgrades, reward tickets, luxury hotel stays, and tickets to major sporting or cultural events. With Miles valid for three years, members have ample time to save for their desired rewards, making the program both flexible and rewarding for frequent travelers. To learn more, visithttps://www.emirates.com/english/skywards/.
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