RIYADH, 21 December 2006 — Emirates passengers will soon be able to use their mobile phones while on board. “The airline has invested $27 million to introduce this in-flight mobile phone use for its passengers,” Abdul Basit Al-Suwaidi, airline’s regional manager, announced at the Annual Emirates Awards Night held in Riyadh recently.
He added that the new service will enable the passengers on Emirates flights to make and receive phone calls and text messages through their mobiles. “This is part of its value added programs offered to Emirates customers,” he said, pointing out that it is the first airline to offer this revolutionary service.
“Emirates will also join hands with computer pioneer Apple, to offer seamless iPod integration with our in-flight entertainment systems,” he said, indicating that this service will allow passengers to carry their portable devices in air to enjoy their own choice of music and videos, including full length feature films on their Emirates seat-back screen.
The airline has 100 modern aircraft capacity to many of its destinations. “Another 100- plus aircraft valued at approximately $30 billion are on order,” he noted, forecasting that the fast growing airline would operate a total of 156 aircraft to serve 101 destinations, carrying 26 million passengers by 2010.
The 10 top travel and cargo agents were awarded mementos by Al-Suwaidi. “The purpose of the awards ceremony is to appreciate the efforts of the travel agents who have sold Emirates to a large clientele of customers in the Riyadh region,” Karunakaran Pillai, sales manager, told the audience. “If it were not for their efforts, Emirates would not have reached this sales target during the this year.”
“Emirates, in its 21st year of service, stands among the top 10 airlines in the world in terms of growth and profits,” he stressed, adding that that Riyadh is one of the important destinations for the airline and increasing to six frequencies a week will only meet cater only a slice of the customer base since the Saudi Arabian capital is a large market.
To offer better services to Emirates customers, he said a new office at the Takhassusi Road has been opened to provide ultra-spacious refurbished office. The new office with parking facility has special counters for travel agents, premium passengers and also for Emirates Holidays as well as for skyward members.