Dubai : Emirates has taken an innovative initiative of meal preordering, whereby customers will be able to preselect their hot main meal between 14 days and 24 hours in advance of their flight, ensuring they get their preferred meal choice every time, as well as helping to reduce food wastage.

The initiative has been in effect since July 25 in Business Class on all flights between Dubai and London Heathrow, London Gatwick, and London Stansted.

Meal preordering will be added to the existing suite of AI-enabled customer preference tracking data and cabin crew reports, which facilitate menu planning and optimal food loading.

Up to 14 days before a flight, passengers will be able to browse the onboard menu on Emirates.com or on the Emirates app and choose from a selection of regionally inspired dishes with locally sourced ingredients. Passengers can also pre-order special meals if required.

On the aircraft, cabin crew will use a custom-built application on a device to view the meal selection and serve the passenger their choice of hot dish. Emirates plans to expand the meal preorder initiative to more routes and classes in the near future and is closely monitoring customer feedback from the initial roll out phase.

Besides digital menu selection Emirates offers website check-in and app check-in, the option of digital boarding passes and itinerary management. Customers can join Emirates Skywards to immediately access free connectivity based on tier membership and class of travel, and spend time curating a playlist of favourite movies, TV shows and music available on ice, which they can synchronise from their app to their TV screen the moment they board.

Air Canada, Emirates to use same terminal at DXB

Air Canada has moved its operations to Dubai International's (DXB) Terminal 3, mainly used by Emirates, as of July 26, 2023. The co-location of operations in the same terminal will significantly improve the connecting experience for customers and underscores the benefits of the partnership between the two airlines launched in November 2022.

Customers transiting in Dubai between the Americas on Air Canada and the Middle East, Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and Africa on Emirates can now enjoy a seamless and expedited experience with the convenience of remaining in the same terminal.

Since November 2022, the carriers have expanded their codeshare relationship to 42 routes, enhanced their underlying interline agreement, developed a reciprocal loyalty partnership for customers to earn and redeem points, enhanced co-operation between their Cargo businesses and have increased capacity into their respective hubs. Air Canada has also developed a partnership with Emirates' sister-airline, flydubai.

Emirates recently began its daily service between Montreal and Dubai, which complements its expanded daily schedule between Toronto and Dubai. Air Canada will be commencing its new non-stop four times weekly flights between Dubai and Vancouver on October 30, 2023 which will complement its daily service between Toronto and Dubai.

Emirates now operates 21 weekly flights to and from Dhaka and via Dubai conveniently connects over 130 destinations worldwide.