Karachi, Pakistan – 24 October 2025: Forty years ago, Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, launched its first flight, EK600, on the route to Karachi. To commemorate the milestone Emirates today showcased its retrofitted B777, featuring Premium Economy cabins, at Jinnah International Airport. The special preview, held on the eve of the airline’s 40th anniversary, provided VIPs and stakeholders from the aviation and travel industry, and members of the media a walkthrough tour of Emirates’ reconfigured and refreshed four-class aircraft, sporting its latest features.

The special flight featuring Premium Economy cabins, and operating as EK600, arrived in Karachi at 10:45am for guests to preview Premium Economy cabins which is available on a growing number of routes in its global network. In attendance at the event were Consul General UAE, H.E. Bakheet Ateeq Al-Rumaithi and other local dignitaries from the civil aviation and airport authorities, hosted by Emirates’ Vice President for Pakistan, Mohammed Alhashmi.

On the occasion, Mohammed Alhashmi said: “Karachi holds a special place in Emirates’ history as the first international destinations where Emirates made its maiden trip from its hub in Dubai. Over the past 40 years, we have proudly connected Pakistan to the world, supporting travellers, businesses and communities. In our commitment to the country, we have also contributed to the growth of the country’s aviation sector and economy and played an active role in job creation.”

“Since our launch in 1985, Emirates has evolved into a global aviation powerhouse, with an extensive global reach, a modern fleet, and a commitment to world-class service. Looking ahead, we continue to enhance the customer experience in line with the ever-changing travel trends, and we hope to introduce our award-winning Premium Economy cabins to Karachi in future. Emirates Premium Economy has revolutionized travel for a growing segment of travellers looking to enhance their flying experience. We look forward to continuing its gradual roll out to key destinations in our network for customers to enjoy an elevated travel experience and a superior value for money proposition.”

40 years of a winning partnership with Pakistan
Over the past forty years of operations to Karachi, Emirates has carried over 19 million passengers between Dubai and Karachi on more than 87,000 flights. Additionally, over 36 million passengers have travelled on a total of 146,000 flights between Dubai and the five points served in the country.
In addition to supporting passenger travel and tourism, the airline also transports over 73,000 tonnes of cargo annually to and from Pakistan, facilitating trade through the export and import of commodities. Notably, on its inaugural flight, revenue was generated solely from cargo transport, as all passengers were flown free of charge.

With three daily flights connecting Karachi to global destinations, Emirates has become an integral part of the city’s aviation landscape. Some of the most popular destinations relevant to Karachi include Jeddah, Medina, Toronto, London, New York, Istanbul, Houston, Kuala Lumpur, Melbourne, Manchester and Shanghai, in addition to Emirates’ hub city of Dubai. Top feeder markets for Karachi include travellers from the same points, in addition to Bangkok, Dammam, and Sydney.

Emirates caters to a broad range of traveller segments, from leisure and corporate travellers to students pursuing higher education abroad. Emirates’ award-winning Premium Economy offering provides a refined upgrade from Economy Class, for passengers to experience elevated levels of comfort on long-haul journeys.

Emirates’ latest cabin class, Premium Economy
The retrofitted B777 with Premium Economy offers Emirates’ latest cabins that redefine comfort for travellers, offering spacious leather reclining seats with full leg and footrests and adjustable headrests. It features in-seat charging points, a wood-finished side cocktail table, a 13.3-inch TV screen, a generously sized pillow and blanket as well as complimentary amenity kits on select flights, among other luxurious touches. Passengers seeking a premium dining experience can explore a diverse selection of regional menus, featuring an array of local flavours and an extensive beverage selection for Premium Economy customers.

Furthermore, the inflight entertainment system ice, with over 6,500 channels, has undergone significant enhancements, now boasting a larger screen and an extensive collection of movies, TV shows, and albums in Urdu.

Karachi, Pakistan, 17 July 2025 – As summer temperatures rise, Emirates invites travellers to reimagine their plans with Dubai – a city purpose-built for comfort, discovery, and world-class experiences all year round. With exclusive benefits for Emirates passengers and seamless connections through the airline’s extensive global network, Dubai is not only a rewarding summer destination, but also an ideal stopover for travellers.

Dubai is one of the few global cities engineered for year-round travel. With wide-scale air-conditioning, temperature-controlled pools, and an abundance of indoor entertainment, visitors can explore, unwind, and spend time comfortably – even during peak summer. From indoor theme parks and immersive museums to shopping festivals, live events, and family-friendly experiences, Dubai offers more than just a place to stay – it’s a city that thrives in every season.

Emirates customers can also take their planning to the next level with Dubai Experience, Emirates’ intuitive booking platform that lets them create customised itineraries including flights, hotels, attractions, and transport, all in one place.

Arriving into Dubai International (DXB), Emirates customers enjoy fast-track connections and direct access to the city’s modern, climate-controlled transport network, ensuring the journey continues with ease on the ground. For travellers planning a longer holiday, Dubai offers a full spectrum of indoor leisure, shopping, culture, and dining. For those breaking up long-haul journeys, it provides a smooth, value-packed stopover that combines rest with discovery.

With flexible fare options and integrated services via Dubai Experience, Emirates turns stopovers into curated, effortless extensions of the journey.

Emirates connects Dubai to over 140 destinations across six continents, offering global travellers flexible options throughout the summer. Emirates and Pakistan share a special relationship, which goes back 33 years when its first ever flight from Dubai landed in Karachi on 25th October 1985. Emirates remains fully committed to all five markets in Pakistan including Karachi, Sialkot and Peshawar as they’re all a core and an integral part of the airline’s network.

To learn more or book your journey, visit emirates.com.

Karachi, June 26, 2025 – Emirates’ passengers experienced minimal disruptions to their travel plans after 23rd June regional events, with regularly scheduled flights resuming within a few short hours. The airline quickly activated its robust contingency and disruption plans, with no diversions, only a small number of cancellations and a few flights experiencing longer flight paths due to airspace congestion.

Despite rapidly evolving regional developments, it’s been business as usual across the Emirates network. In the past two weeks, Emirates has maintained scheduled services by rerouting flights to avoid conflict zones, successfully serving over 1.7 million passengers on more than 5,800 flights across its global network and delivering certainty to their travel plans when they needed it the most, while upholding its commitment to safe, reliable travel.

The airline took immediate action by suspending flights only to areas directly impacted by conflict while maintaining operations to all other destinations. Services to Amman and Beirut were briefly suspended but resumed quickly, demonstrating Emirates’ ability to nimbly adapt its operations while prioritising safety, and helping thousands of families start their summer holidays.

The safety of Emirates’ passengers and crew is its absolute priority, and the airline would never fly if it was not safe to do so. Emirates continuously monitors developments, coordinates with aviation authorities, and assesses every potential risk to ensure all flights are safely rerouted away from conflict zones, all the while meeting the most stringent regulatory requirements.

Throughout the last two weeks, the airline kept customers informed with regular operational website updates as well as on its social media channels, and reservations teams helped reaccommodate affected customers.

As Emirates gears up for the busy summer travel season, it will continue to actively monitor developments in co-ordination with the relevant authorities, and the airline’s priority will always be to ensure safe and smooth operations, by adapting quickly and appropriately, so that customers can travel with confidence.

For decades, the airline has successfully navigated challenges while maintaining its commitment to connecting customers to their destinations safely, efficiently and comfortably all while delivering exceptional service onboard and on ground. The UAE’s leadership have put in place strong contingency plans and systems to support essential services, empowering Emirates to maintain safe, uninterrupted operations.