ISLAMABAD: Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, is celebrating its 25th year of service at Islamabad and Lahore airports. Emirates has played a critical role in linking Islamabad and Lahore to the rest of the globe via Dubai since its initial flights to both cities in January 1999, while also supporting economic growth and cultural interchange.
Over the last quarter-century, Emirates has been a dependable partner, providing seamless passenger and cargo transportation and considerably contributing to the country’s and region’s growth through tourism and trade. The airline’s significant presence in Islamabad and Lahore emphasizes its position as a leading and dependable carrier dedicated to aviation excellence and innovation.
Emirates, in its vital role, facilitated smooth trips for millions of passengers on its routes from major sites in Pakistan, operating a solid schedule of ten weekly flights from each of the two cities.
Highlights in Emirates’ extraordinary history servicing Pakistan’s capital city Islamabad and its second largest city Lahore include transporting more than 11.4 million passengers on over 34,000 flights between both cities and the airline’s hub in Dubai.
Emirates’ enormous network of over 140 sites has not only improved tourist and commercial linkages in Pakistan, but it has also developed better relationships amongst communities all over the world. Islamabad and Lahore have developed as strategic gateways connecting travelers to top destinations in the United Kingdom, Europe, the United States, and Canada via Emirates’ scheduled routes. With more than 1.6 million Pakistani nationals living in the UAE, accounting for more than 15% of the population, the country, and particularly Dubai, is a favorite destination for visitors from the two cities. Flights to Lahore and Islamabad are most frequently used by passengers flying from the same points for leisure and business purposes, as well as people flying to see family and friends.
“Emirates is proud to have been part of the country’s growth story, with operations to Islamabad and Lahore, two important points in our Pakistan network,” said Mohammed Alhashmi, Emirates’ Vice President for Pakistan, on the airline’s 25th anniversary of operations in both Islamabad and Lahore. Emirates remains a dependable travel partner for many in Pakistan, including our loyal customers who rely on us for the premium services we provide, both in the air and on the ground, our commitment to excellence in our service standards and ensuring an unrivaled travel experience, and seamless connectivity to points across our vast network.
“Since our inception 25 years ago, our operations to Islamabad and Lahore have been a resounding success, facilitating travel and the movement of essential commodities.” Some of the accomplishments that have favorably benefited local communities include tangible advantages throughout the supply chain in the hospitality and tourism industry, as well as employment development. We are proud to have made a significant contribution to Pakistan and would like to thank the authorities, as well as other stakeholders and industry partners, for their assistance over the years.”
In addition to its passenger services, Emirates has played an important role in cementing Islamabad and Lahore’s roles as vital cargo hubs in the region. The airline continues to serve local industries and enterprises by connecting cargo from Islamabad and Lahore to the rest of its global network. Emirates SkyCargo, with its large cargo network and cutting-edge facilities, has been vital in facilitating seamless movement of goods and harnessing trade synergies that have not only increased economic development but also contributed considerably to the prosperity of both regions.
Over the last 15 years, Emirates planes have transported a total of 225,000 tonnes of cargo from Islamabad and Lahore, with commodities ranging from sporting and leather products to textile and apparel, courier, and perishable items such as beef and mangoes. Over the same 15-year period, top commodities frequently imported into both points in Pakistan included laboratory and medical equipment, diagnostic and testing kits, medicines and vaccines for medical and veterinary use, courier, fabrics, textile accessories, mobile phones, and computer accessories, totaling more than 96,000 tonnes.
Emirates and Pakistan have a particular relationship that dates back more than 38 years, when the airline’s inaugural flight from Dubai to Karachi took place on October 25, 1985. Since then, the historic collaboration has grown, with Emirates now operating 53 weekly flights to five Pakistani cities, including Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, and Sialkot, using Boeing 777 wide-body aircraft. Emirates began service to Peshawar in 1998, after launching operations in Karachi in 1985. The airline was then introduced to the skies of Islamabad and Lahore in 1999, prior to the launch of its Sialkot route in 2013. Emirates remains firmly committed to Pakistan, and its operations there remain an important element of the airline’s network.
Travelers flying with Emirates can enjoy an unrivaled culinary experience, due to regionally-inspired multi-course menus created by a team of award-winning chefs and accompanied by a wide range of premium beverages. Ice, Emirates’ award-winning in-flight entertainment system, provides customers with over 6,500 channels of carefully curated worldwide entertainment material, including movies, TV series, music, podcasts, games, audiobooks, and more. To keep passengers interested on flights, travelers can choose from regional content such as Urdu, Pashto, and Punjabi.
Visit emirates.com for additional information. Tickets can be booked through emirates.com, the Emirates Sales Office, travel agents, or online travel agencies.
