By Rafiq Vayani
DUBAI: As Emirates aircraft make their way to the Dubai Airshow site today, the airline is gearing up for the 2019 edition of the Dubai Airshow, where it will showcase its full family of commercial and training aircraft.
With Expo 2020 Dubai less than a year away, Emirates is set to showcase its latest Airbus A380 and Boeing 777-300ER with the ’mobility’ (blue) and ‘opportunity’ (orange) themes of the Expo.
His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group, said: “The Dubai Airshow is one of the most important platforms for Emirates to showcase our aircraft, our innovative products and services, and grab international attention around our latest initiatives. As we count down to the UAE’s flagship event, Expo 2020, it is fitting that Emirates is showcasing our aircraft that are helping to promote the world’s greatest show to Dubai Airshow participants and visitors, and the rest of the world closely watching the developments of the event. Our message is clear – we are creating opportunities and enhancing mobility by connecting visitors and participants at Expo 2020 with passenger and cargo links to Dubai to experience this truly global event.”
Emirates’ latest Boeing 777-300ER, decorated with the orange ‘opportunity’ Expo 2020 livery, features refreshed cabin interiors fitted with the airline’s signature Game Changer fully enclosed First Class private suite, which debuted in 2017 to wide acclaim. This will be the aircraft’s second appearance at the Dubai Airshow. Designed with an emphasis on exceptional customer comfort and the ultimate in privacy, Emirates’ Game Changer Boeing 777 private suites feature floor-to-ceiling sliding doors and ultra-modern design features. Offering up to 40 square feet of personal space each, these innovative suites include seats that manoeuvre into multiple positions , including a full recline and a “zero-gravity” state, a multitude of ambient lighting colours, suite climate control, the industry’s first virtual windows, and an innovative video call function, amongst numerous other features.
Always a popular draw for aviation enthusiasts and trade visitors, Emirates’ latest generation Airbus A380 will be dressed in the blue Expo 2020 livery, representing ‘mobility’. The Emirates A380 will feature 14 luxurious First Class suites, 76 flatbed seats in Business Class and 429 spacious seats in Economy Class, as well as its latest A380 Onboard Lounge.
The Cirrus SR 22 and Embraer Phenom 100 jets utilized for training flights by the Emirates Flight Training Academy will also be on display to visitors. Emirates Flight Training Academy instructors will be available to provide tours of the training aircraft and highlight their capabilities. The Emirates Flight Training Academy, which was inaugurated at the last edition of the Dubai Airshow, is a state-of-the-art facility that was developed by Emirates to meet the global aviation industry’s requirement for skilled commercial pilots, utilising advanced learning technologies and training aircraft that provide opportunities for training cadets to develop their flying knowledge and skills.
Emirates will open the flying display of the first afternoon of the airshow with a special fly past comprising of an Airbus A380 adorned with green livery representing the ‘sustainability’ theme of Expo 2020, followed by the UAE’s air-display team, Al Fursan.
The Emirates exhibition stand will also be open to all airshow visitors. Spread across two floors, the stand will feature a number of Emirates divisions including: Emirates Engineering, Emirates Flight Training Academy, Emirates SkyCargo, Emirates Aviation University, Emirates UAE Sales and Emirates Official Store. The Emirates stand will also exhibit the airline’s game-changing Boeing 777-300ER First Class Private Suite.
