Emirates, the largest international airline in the world, celebrated 25 years of operation in Greece. Since its first flight in June 1996 , Emirates has offered its services to more than 4.5 million passengers on thousands of flights to and from the capital of Greece.
Emirates is the only airline that serves direct flights between Greece and Dubai. In March 2017, Emirates added the connection of Athens with New York and Newark Airport, which proved to be a popular route for Greek travelers, as it was the only direct, daily and all year-round flight connecting Greece with the USA.
The airline operates daily flights between Athens and Dubai. Flight EK210 departs from Athens at 17:55 and arrives in Dubai at 00:20 the next day. Flight EK209 departs at 11:50 from Dubai and arrives in Athens at 15:25. In June, Emirates also restarted flights between Athens and Newark in the United States. Flight EK209 departs from Athens at 17:20 and arrives in Newark at 21:20 the next day. The flight from Newark EK210 departs at 23:55 and arrives in Athens at 16:10 the next day (all reports are in local times).
“It is a great honor for us to complete 25 years of stable presence in Greece. Over the years, Emirates’ global network has helped Greek travelers visit destinations and connect with their loved ones abroad, and has helped connect Greek businesses with markets in more than 80 countries on six continents. Despite the significant impact that the pandemic has had on the aviation sector, we are recovering and intensifying our activities to meet the growing demand for travelling. “Not only have bookings for our services to Dubai and New York increased, but we are also seeing a gradual return to long-distance travels as the borders are oreparing to reopen, for example in Australia, where many Greeks have friends and relatives.”said Khalid Al Zarooni, Emirates Country Manager for Greece.
“Since the opening of our airport in 2001 until today, Emirates is one of our most valuable partners with an extremely important contribution to the interconnection of our airport, the city and our country. Apart from the great importance of the connection with Dubai, it is also the only airline that connects us with the United States with its flights throughout the year, offering its passengers a very high quality airline product. Happy Birthday Emirates! Warm wishes from the airport of Athens for even greater growth in the Athenian market and with our commitment for the next 25 – and more – years of close and successful cooperation! “, said the Communication and Marketing Director of Athens International Airport, Ioanna Papadopoulou.
Today, Emirates has already restored 90% of its network and is currently flying to more than 120 destinations. The airline aims to restore 70% of pre-pandemic capacity levels by the end of the year. To support the rapid recovery, Emirates has announced plans to strengthen its business capacity by hiring more than 6,000 employees, including 3,000 cabin crew based in Dubai.
Cargo handling service in Greece
In addition to passenger flights, Emirates also has a freight transport infrastructure through Emirates SkyCargo. Emirates enables companies to export Greek products such as ship spare parts, electronics, pharmaceuticals and local products such as olive oil, strawberries and yogurts through its Dubai hub.
In 2019, Emirates transported over 10,800 tons of cargo to and from Athens, facilitating the movement of goods between Greece and the UAE, as well as other countries in its global network. During the temporary suspension of passenger services between Athens and New York due to the pandemic, Emirates allowed the unimpeded export of Greek fishery products to the US, through direct passenger flights from Athens to Dubai, with day-to-day flights from Dubai to New York. During this time, more than 1,200 tons of fish were traded.
Emirates contribution to the Greek economy
For many years, Greece and the United Arab Emirates have maintained a healthy political, economic and cultural relationship. The bilateral trade between Greece and the UAE amounted to 298 million euros in 2020, with exports from Greece represent 78% of total trade.
Emirates operations in Greece are estimated to have contributed 79 million euros to GDP and supported more than 1,650 direct, indirect and consequential jobs in Greece. This figure takes into account not only Emirates staff in Greece, but also employment throughout the supply chain, such as land or catering jobs, as well as the consequent employment through economic activity created by these direct and indirect employees. The Emirates Group employs 280 Greeks in its multinational workforce.
Award-winning products and services
Greek passengers flying with Emirates can have fun with movies and programs on more than 4,500 channels of ice, the company’s award-winning entertainment system. They can also enjoy the hospitality and personalized service offered by the international, multicultural crew of Emirates, which includes Greeks.
Traveling with Emirates
Health and safety: Maintaining the health and well-being of its passengers as a top priority, Emirates has established a comprehensive set of safety measures at every step of the journey. The airline varioushas also introduced contactless technology and increased digital verification capabilities to offer its customers even more opportunities to use the IATA Travel Pass, which can now be used at airports served by Emirates.
Flexibility: Emirates continues to lead the industry with innovative products and services that meet the needs of travelers, and, in a dynamic time frame, has further expanded its customer service initiatives with even more flexible booking policies until 31 May 2022.
Dubai and Expo 2020: Since the safe resumption of tourism in July, Dubai remains one of the most popular destinations in the world for business and leisure, especially during the winter. Dubai was one of the first cities in the world to receive the Safe Travels stamp from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), which supports Dubai’s comprehensive and effective measures to ensure the health and safety of visitors.
Dubai is hosting Expo 2020 until March 2022. Through the topic “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”, Expo 2020 Dubai aims to inspire people by highlighting the best examples of collaboration and innovation from around the world. The rich six-month program is full of experiences to suit all ages and interests, including a rich series of themed weeks, entertainment and education, while art and culture enthusiasts, tech and innovation enthusiasts can enjoy exhibitions, workshops, performances, live performances and much more.