Emirates urges passengers to book early as it braces for summer travel surge

Emirates airline is gearing up for a busy summer season, with more than 550,000 passengers expected to fly out of the UAE in June and July, on more than 2,400 scheduled weekly departures.

The airline is continuing to add flights and frequencies to its network, and will be operating at almost 80 per cent of its pre-pandemic capacity over the summer, amounting to more than one million seats a week.

The carrier is reporting accelerated daily booking volumes and is warning customers to plan their summer holidays as soon as possible to ensure they are able to fly on their preferred dates and flights.

As travel continues to rebound from the effects of the pandemic, Emirates is expecting strong demand for services to its six UK destinations, nine Indian routes and flights to Cairo, Aman, Manila and Beirut, as UAE residents visit family and friends.

Leisure travel to Bangkok, Istanbul, Vienna, Zurich, Nice, Phuket, Singapore, Oslo, Kuala Lumpur, Brisbane and the west coast of the US is also expected to be bullish as more countries around the world drop entry restrictions.

From Monday, August 1, customers travelling from Dubai to London, Paris and Sydney will be able to experience the airline’s new premium economy cabins, complete with dedicated check-in areas at DXB and seats with a pitch of up to 102 centimetres.

The carrier will also be flying its A380 aircraft to 35 destinations this summer, so customers can look forward to the services specific to its flagship double-decker, including the onboard lounge and shower spa.

In its attempt to ensure smoother journeys for passengers, Emirates is operating a “biometric path” in Terminal 3, offering a contactless journey from select check-in desks, lounges and boarding gates.

Meanwhile, customers in Ajman and the Northern Emirates can skip the DXB queues and take advantage of the airline’s Ajman check-in facility, while, from Abu Dhabi, Emirates passengers can use Emirates' bus service, which now operates five times a day.