<\/p>\n
\n\tKARACHI: Emirates marked 40 years of operations in Karachi on Friday, celebrating the anniversary of its first international flight with a showcase of its retrofitted Boeing 777 aircraft featuring the airline\u2019s Premium Economy cabin.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe event at Jinnah International Airport was attended by senior government officials, diplomats and aviation industry representatives, including UAE Consul General Bakheet Ateeq Al-Rumaithi. Guests toured the aircraft, viewing the Premium Economy cabin, which the airline said would soon be available to Pakistani passengers.<\/p>\n
\n\tFour decades ago, in October 1985, Emirates\u2019 first international flight departed from Dubai and landed in Karachi, with the airline beginning its global journey from the Pakistani port city, a partnership that has since become one of the region\u2019s most enduring aviation ties.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cEmirates\u2019 40-year journey began right here in Karachi on the 25th of October 1985, when flight EK600 landed at Jinnah International Airport, marking the starting point of Emirates\u2019 international footprint and the beginning of its global story,\u201d said Mohammed Alhashmi, Emirates\u2019 Vice President for Pakistan, addressing the gathering.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cOver the last four decades, we have built a deep relationship with Pakistan, its people, its businesses and its communities,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\n\tHe said the airline was proud to have supported Pakistan\u2019s travel, trade and tourism sectors.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWe\u2019re proud to have been a major partner in the country\u2019s growth story, supporting not only the travel needs of millions of people into and out of Pakistan, but also facilitating trade through our cargo capabilities, providing employment opportunities to thousands, supporting the tourism sector and enabling business to flourish,\u201d Alhashmi said.<\/p>\n
\n\tAccording to Emirates, the airline has carried more than 19 million passengers between Dubai and Karachi on over 87,000 flights in the past four decades.<\/p>\n
\n\tAcross Pakistan, more than 36 million passengers have flown on 146,000 flights connecting Dubai with five cities: Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar and Sialkot.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe airline also transports over 73,000 tons of cargo annually to and from Pakistan.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cOur flights support many of the 1.7 million Pakistanis who live and work in the United Arab Emirates, as well as leisure travelers and those visiting family and friends,\u201d Alhashmi said. \u201cWe mark 40 years of trust, partnership and shared progress with Pakistan at this event.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tSpeaking to Arab News, Alhashmi described Emirates\u2019 four-decade partnership with Karachi as \u201c40 years of excellence\u201d and \u201c40 years of growth.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cIt\u2019s beyond even my imagination, to be honest with you,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd I\u2019m very proud that Karachi is still there; Pakistan remains our key market, and we really look forward to growing even further.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tAlhashmi also maintained Pakistan remains an \u201cunderserved market\u201d despite growing competition.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cEven though there\u2019s growing competition, if I compare it to the earlier era, Pakistan used to have a lot more international carriers,\u201d he said. \u201cWith Pakistan\u2019s future, there\u2019s a lot of growth we can still witness.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tHe said Emirates had continued to grow steadily since its first flight.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThe world needs better air services, better aircraft, newer destinations and better cargo operations,\u201d he said. \u201cSince the beginning, we\u2019ve been growing in this market and, except for exceptional periods like COVID, we\u2019ve never seen a time when we did not grow.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tDuring the celebration, Emirates showcased its Premium Economy product in Karachi for the first time.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cPremium Economy represents an innovative, comfortable choice designed for travelers who want an elevated experience, including enhanced amenities and attractive price points,\u201d he said, adding that Emirates\u2019 connection with Pakistan was not only commercial but also emotional.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cYou can imagine flying is a dream for the people,\u201d he told Arab News. \u201cWhen they get married, they want to have a honeymoon, they want to fly. The same goes for new jobs, new business deals and fun trips.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cI think we are touching every single heart in Pakistan,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThis anniversary is as much Pakistan\u2019s celebration as it is Emirates\u2019,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.arabnews.pk \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Emirates marks 40 years of operations in Karachi, its first international destination
KARACHI: Emirates marked 40 years of operations in Karachi on Friday, celebrating the anniversary of its first international flight with a showcase of its retrofitted Boeing 777 aircraft featuring the airline\u2019s Premium Economy cabin.
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