Emirates is entering an accelerated growth phase driven by incoming widebody deliveries, the aggressive rollout of its Premium Economy cabin, and deepened trade engagement through its NDC-enabled Emirates Gateway, according to Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer.
Speaking to TTN Middle East at the recently concluded Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai, Kazim outlined the carrier’s commercial and operational priorities, emphasising that travel trade partners remain integral to the airline’s distribution strategy alongside its direct digital channels.
“In the last six months, we have recovered 93 per cent of our network capacity and 98 per cent of our pre-conflict network,” Kazim said. “That trajectory will continue as we take delivery of additional aircraft.”
With the airline currently serving nearly 140 destinations worldwide, near-term capacity additions will focus on key trunk routes and high-load markets, alongside frequency enhancements to Asian hubs including Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Tokyo Narita.
“It is going to be a very active period ahead,” Kazim added. “Our priority is scaling capacity, opening new city pairs, and driving traffic into Dubai and across our global network.”
Network expansion will be supported by an influx of new widebody deliveries. Emirates is slated to receive more Airbus A350-900 aircraft, with 46 aircraft currently in its fleet and six more to be delivered within a three-month window to anchor regional, medium and long-haul expansion.
Looking further ahead, the carrier continues to prepare for the induction of the Boeing 777X.
“This fleet investment reflects our core commitment to Dubai’s broader tourism infrastructure,” Kazim noted.
“Aviation, hospitality and retail are deeply interlinked. Our capacity strategy directly underpins the emirate’s visitor economy.”
Product differentiation remains anchored around Emirates’ four-class configuration, led by the rapid retrofit and delivery of Premium Economy cabins.
Originally launched in August 2022, the cabin now represents roughly 20 per cent of Emirates’ overall cabin deployment on participating routes, supplying approximately 64,000 weekly seats. The carrier’s multi-billion-dollar retrofit programme will ultimately see the product installed across more than 219 aircraft.
Kazim dismissed concerns regarding yield dilution: “The product fills the space between economy and business class without cannibalising business yields. It captures a distinct segment, primarily economy passengers seeking an upgraded experience.”
The A350 fleet will debut refinements to the Premium Economy seat architecture, including enhanced passenger partitions, updated electric seat controls, and integrated high-speed mobile charging.
Addressing distribution, Kazim reiterated that Emirates Gateway - the carrier’s proprietary NDC-enabled platform - is designed to enhance agent capabilities rather than disintermediate the trade.
NDC transactions currently generate between 12 and 13 per cent of Emirates’ total booking volume, a figure expected to rise as more global travel management companies (TMCs) and travel agencies complete technical integration.
“When we launched our new content strategy four years ago, we established a clear transition roadmap for travel agencies because they remain vital to our business,” said Kazim. “Through Emirates Gateway, we are providing the trade with parity - giving agents direct access to the same rich content, flexible ticketing, and ancillary tools available on Emirates.com.”
Kazim concluded with a clear reassurance to trade partners: “Travel agents are just as important to us as direct bookings. The objective is to provide a single, robust platform where partners have all the tools they need to service their clients efficiently.”