On 25th October 1985, Emirates flew its first routes out of Dubai with just two aircraft—a leased Boeing 737 and Airbus 300 B4. Then as now, our goal was quality, not quantity, and in the years since taking those first small steps onto the regional travel scene, Emirates has evolved into a globally influential travel and tourism conglomerate known the world over for our commitment to the highest standards of quality in every aspect of our business.
Though wholly owned by the Government of Dubai, Emirates has grown in scale and stature not through protectionism but through competition—competition with the ever-growing number of international carriers that take advantage of Dubai’s open-skies policy. Not only do we support that policy, but we see it as vital to maintaining our identity and our competitiveness. After making its initial start-up investment, the Government of Dubai saw fit to treat Emirates as a wholly independent business entity, and today we are thriving because of it. The airline has recorded an annual profit in every year since its third in operation.
Continuing our explosive growth while continually striving to provide the best service in the industry is the secret of Emirates’ success. The airline's business includes: * An award-winning international cargo division * A full-fledged destination management and leisure division * An airline IT developer.
Flying to more destinations on more aircraft every day
With a fleet of 153 aircraft, we currently fly to over 100 destinations in 66 countries around the world, and our network is expanding constantly. Over 1,000 Emirates flights depart Dubai each week on their way to destinations on six continents. In fact, Emirates flights account for nearly 40 per cent of all flight movements in and out of Dubai International Airport. In recent years, Emirates has made numerous significant announcements regarding the future of its already state-of-the-art fleet.
In 2001,