INSIDE EMIRATES
2004
On the A340-500, Emirates introduces Wi-Fi hotspots to allow customers to check email from their own laptops.
2006
Personal in-seat email and SMS installed throughout the fleet, in all classes.
2007
Emirates worked with Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures to introduce Closed Captions, the technology used by the hard of hearing, for the first time in inflight entertainment.
2008
First airline to allow passengers to use their own mobile phone for calls and SMS in collaboration with AeroMobile.
2011
Emirates launches Wi-Fi internet access on the A380 in conjunction with OnAir.
2012
First mobile phone service on an A380 in the world.
2014
First airline to offer a total of 500 films on board.
10 YEARS OF ONBOARD CALLS Emirates is celebrating 10 years of enabling mobile phone use on board its aircraft. The inaugural phone call was made on March 20, 2008 on Emirates flight EK751 from Dubai to Casablanca. Since then over 2.8 million calls have been made, 60 per cent of which were made from the aircraft, while over a million calls were answered by passengers travelling on Emirates.
TODAY
More than 98 per cent of the fleet is equipped with Wi-Fi, and everyone on board enjoys 20mb worth of free online access – with Emirates Skywards members enjoying further special privileges. There are now up to 3,500 channels of on demand entertainment, up to 700 movies and 90 kids’ channels. Emirates has been named ‘World’s Best Airline Inflight Entertainment’ at the SKYTRAX World Airline Awards for 13 consecutive years. OPEN SKIES / 73