Emirates Country Manager at Tornos News | Greece, a strategic hub for development

Emirates airline is emerging as a stable ally for the sustainable development of Greek tourism, contributing to the increase in international tourist flows over the last 30 years of its activity in the Greek market.

At a time when quality, sustainability, and the flight experience are becoming increasingly important for the modern traveler, Emirates is strategically investing in Greece, aiming not only to strengthen passenger traffic but also to promote the Greek tourism product on a global scale.

With strategic moves that are aligned with its ambitious ten-year expansion plan, the airline confirms its role as a catalyst for the tourism development of Greece. Already, thanks to the increased demand for our country, Emirates is picking up speed and strengthening its presence, recording an annual increase in passenger traffic of 19% on routes to and from Athens.

Now, focusing on sustainable development and the expansion of its network based on new aircraft deliveries, Emirates is dynamically investing in strengthening the country's connectivity with world markets.

On the occasion of the airline's steady upward trajectory in the Greek market, Tornos News spoke with Emirates' Country Manager for Greece, Mr. Ibrahim Ghanim, about the present, the future, and the strategic role of Emirates on the map of international air transport, with a focus on Greece.

- Emirates has maintained a strong presence in the Greek market for many years. How would you describe the company's current position and performance in Greece, particularly in terms of demand from both leisure and business travelers?

Emirates has been operating in Greece since 1996, having built a strong and stable presence in the Greek market. Over the past 29 years, the airline has served over 4.5 million passengers to and from Athens, responding to the steady and sustained demand on the Athens-Dubai route in each direction.

Athens is among the cities benefiting from Emirates’ Boeing 777 aircraft upgrade programme. The aircraft features a new four-seat configuration, including the highly popular Premium Economy class. With 24 seats in a 2-4-2 configuration, this new class offers greater legroom, an upgraded travel experience, and more choice for Greek travellers.

From its hub in Dubai, Emirates offers direct connections to 142 destinations across six continents. Whether it’s a leisure trip to exotic destinations like the Maldives or Japan, or a business trip to regions like the Middle East and Asia, the Athens-Dubai route offers global access with a single stop. Today, Emirates operates 2 key routes from Athens: the route to Dubai, with seamless connectivity across its global network, and a unique, daily non-stop flight from Athens to New York (Newark), which began in 2017 and continues to be offered throughout the year.

According to Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, the city attracted over 16.79 million international visitors in 2024, a 9% increase compared to the previous year. In the same year, Emirates operated 974 return flights on the Dubai-Athens route, carrying a total of 231,000 passengers.

At the same time, Emirates SkyCargo contributed significantly to trade, transporting more than 12,200 tonnes of cargo to and from Athens, strengthening Greece’s trade relations with the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and other countries in the company’s global network. Emirates continues to invest in the Greek market, offering new options to travelers, such as the introduction of upgraded Boeing 777 aircraft with improved cabin experiences. With daily, reliable connections to key destinations, Emirates ensures the smooth and comfortable movement of passengers around the world.

-What are your key priorities as Country Manager for Greece for the coming year, and how do they align with Emirates’ broader strategic objectives in Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean?

Emirates, remaining committed to its customer-centric philosophy, is shaping its priorities for the Greek market in line with its overall strategy for the region and its unwavering commitment to quality and excellence. Greece remains strategically important for Emirates in the Europe and Mediterranean network. We continue to focus on enhancing the travel experience through our in-flight services, such as the introduction of Premium Economy and refreshed spaces across all cabin classes. These investments reflect our commitment to delivering a consistently superior travel experience.

Emirates’ presence in the Greek market is steadily strengthening, maintaining its position as a reliable and stable airline that supports the development of tourism and trade between Greece and its global network. We maintain high standards of service, in line with our commitment to the “Fly Better” philosophy, and we focus on sustainable development and expansion of our network in Greece, in line with Emirates’ ten-year destination expansion plan, based on new aircraft deliveries.

Today, the company offers two daily flights between Athens and Dubai, ensuring Greek travelers direct and seamless connections to 142 destinations worldwide, while also strengthening its strategic partnership with AEGEAN and the Hellenic Tourism Organization (EOT), aiming to improve connectivity and further stimulate inbound tourism. At the same time, it promotes Premium Economy, responding to the growing demand of the Greek market for quality yet affordable travel options. We remain firmly committed to supporting the local economy, society, and environment, while ensuring that Greek travellers enjoy direct and seamless connectivity via Dubai to key regions such as the Middle East, Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Oceania.

-How important is the Greek tourism industry, particularly travel agents and hospitality professionals, to Emirates’ presence in the country? Are there specific ways in which you work with local partners to increase bookings and enhance the customer experience?

Through our close collaboration with the domestic tourism ecosystem, we are strengthening our network and contributing significantly to establishing Greece as an attractive destination all year round for travellers from all over the world. The Greek tourism industry - including travel agents and hospitality professionals - is a key pillar of Emirates’ presence in the Greek market. We recognize the important role that our local partners play in shaping travel flows, especially in connecting Greece with important long-haul markets such as the USA, the UAE, and Australasia. Our close collaboration with travel agencies allows us to offer personalized products, such as the recently introduced Premium Economy, which responds to the demand for upgraded yet affordable travel options.

At the same time, we maintain close cooperation with the Greek National Tourism Organization and AEGEAN. The codeshare agreement with AEGEAN has allowed us to expand connectivity to 8 additional Greek destinations beyond Athens, supporting inbound tourism and regional development.

Emirates reaffirms its long-term commitment to Greece by maintaining daily flights throughout the year, while adding a second daily flight to the Athens-Dubai route for the summer of 2025, to meet growing demand. At the same time, the travel industry is contributing significantly to maintaining high occupancy rates on the Athens-New York (Newark) route, which has shown steady growth since its launch in 2017.

-How do you see the Greeks' response to the Premium Economy and Business Class products, which mark growing popularity? Do you record any noticeable changes in their preferences after the pandemic?

Greek travelers show increasing interest in the premium Economy and Business Class positions, looking for more comfort, quality services, and flexibility, and we are very happy that the upgraded Boeing 777 with the addition of Premium Economy has now joined the Athens route. We record a steady increase in demand, and we are particularly pleased with the upward trend of bookings, as well as the particularly positive comments we have received. Market response is extremely positive, especially from travelers looking for upgraded services at a more affordable cost.

Current tendencies in bookings confirm that the new offer fills a strategic gap and meets the needs of both the public traveling and leisure. After all, Business Class continues to be particularly preferred by professional and frequent travelers, mainly on long-distance routes, such as transatlantic.

After the pandemic, we observe a clear shift to travel preferences, with more and more travelers choosing upgraded flight experiences and investing in them. We record strong performance on our routes to and from Greece, with passenger traffic increasing about 19% on an annual basis. The strong demand for higher travel experiences enhances Emirates' continued investment in premium products, tailored to the changing needs of the Greek market.

- Sustainability is becoming increasingly important in the travel industry. What initiatives does Emirates apply to reduce its environmental footprint, and how are they communicated to your partners and passengers in Greece?

Sustainability is a top priority for Emirates, which continues to actively invest in initiatives that reduce its environmental footprint and promote social responsibility. Emirates's viability policy is based on three main pillars: reducing emissions, responsible resource management, and protecting wildlife and natural ecosystems.

In recent years, we have made significant steps in this direction, with positive results that benefit, among other things, the Greek market and our partners. Specifically, Emirates supports active initiatives promoting the adoption of Sustainable Air Force (SAF). In November 2024, we announced an agreement with Shell Aviation on the supply of more than 300,000 gallons of mixed SAF, which will be used in our center in Dubai. In addition, in October 2023, we expanded our cooperation with Neste to supply more than 3 million SAF gallons in the years 2024 and 2025, for Emirates flights departing from Amsterdam's Schiphol airport and Changi.

In January 2023, we successfully completed a Boeing 777 demonstration flight, in which one of the engines used 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). In addition, in November 2023, Emirates became the first airline in the world to air a Demo with an A380 aircraft, using a 100% SAF.

In May 2023, we announced the creation of a $ 200 million fund for the financing of research and development projects (R&D) with the aim of advanced fuel and energy solutions in aviation. This is the largest individual commitment to viability by an airline. In 2024, it became the first funding for the Aviation Impact Accelerator of Cambridge University, while additional projects are expected.

In January 2024, Emirates became the first international airline to join the Solent Cluster, a UK initiative to focus on low-carbon investments aimed at reducing CO2 emissions.

In 2024, we transferred for the first time 3,000 metric tons of Sustainable Air Force (SAF) from London's Heathrow Airport.

Emirates is a founding member of the Aircraft Research Cooperative in the United Arab Emirates, which focuses on the development, production, and escalation of sustainable air fuel technologies.

In June 2024, Emirates became the first international airline to join AIREG (AVIATIative for Renewable Energy in Germany), committing a commitment to boost local SAF production in Germany.

We continue to operate with modern and efficient fuel aircraft, a key element of our business model since our founding. Recently, we added the A350 to our fleet, the most fuel-efficient aircraft in the world. Emirates regularly informs its associates and passengers in Greece about viability initiatives through updates, advertising campaigns, information, and collaborative events with local agencies.

- Looking back in the future, are there new developments or investments, such as increased flight frequencies, new partnerships, or upgrading of services, should Greek tourism professionals should know?

Emirates is continuing its investment trend in strategic markets, such as Greece, constantly introducing new services and upgraded products that enhance the travel experience.

Specifically, it proceeds to the following actions ...

• Continuous growth and investment in basic markets, such as Greece, through the introduction of new services and upgraded products.
• Fleet extension and aircraft upgrade (upgraded Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 with four-seater configuration, introduction of the Premium Economy category, receipt of the rest of the A350).
• Strengthening partnerships and expansion of the flight network: Emirates has worked with the Hellenic Tourism Organization (EOT) to boost tourism in Greece, emphasizing basic markets such as the US, the UAE, Australia, India, and China. In addition, Emirates' joint code agreement with Aegean expands connectivity to eight internal destinations in Greece. Emirates also performs a daily flight between Dubai and Athens, further enhancing its global network and supporting the development of tourism in Greece.
• Commitment to sustainability.
• Improving the experience of new technologies (free Wi-Fi for Skywards members in all cabins, enhancing connectivity), upgraded ground services (Premium passengers enjoy driver transport and access to 34+ exclusive airlines at airports worldwide and airports) "Ice" offers over 6,500 channels, including exclusive content from Paramount+, HBO Max, Discovery+, BBC and Bloomberg Originals)

-Are there any plans to expand the Emirates network with new itineraries or increased frequencies that will benefit the Greek market, either directly or through connective hubs?

Emirates is constantly looking for opportunities to expand its network and enhance the frequencies of its flights, depending on demand. We are constantly evaluating our activity in the Greek market, in close cooperation with the competent authorities, in order to identify opportunities for further development.

We remain committed to the Greek market, with the aim of contributing positively to the local economy, society, and the environment. Our goal is to maintain the capacity of our presence, offering travelers from Greece access to even more destinations in our world network via Dubai - and beyond that - in areas such as the Middle East, Australia, Asia, and Africa.

We have also reached an agreement with Aegean Codeshare, offering passengers enhanced connectivity to 8 Greek destinations via Athens, with a single ticket. As part of the collaboration, Emirates places its code on selected Aegean flights, ensuring a smooth detention experience and a single luggage policy to popular destinations such as Corfu, Chania, Heraklion, Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes, Thessaloniki and Thessaloniki. Correspondingly, Aegean places its own code on Emirates' flights between Athens and Dubai, facilitating connections to the Emirates global network.

In addition, from June 1st to October 25, 2025, an additional daily flight was added to the Athens -Dubai line.

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