Emirates crowned as 2024 APEX World Class Airline

…with additional award for Economy Class amenity kit

Emirates has recently been crowned – as the 2024 APEX World Class Airline winner for mastering guest experience and delivering outstanding customer service – at the 2024 APEX/IFSA Awards held in Long Beach, California. Evaluated through a comprehensive audit for quality of service, safety and health control initiatives, Emirates is one of just eight airlines globally to achieve this accolade. Emirates also received a 2024 IFSA award for Best Onboard Amenity in recognition of Emirates Sustainable Economy Class amenity kit – filled with useful amenities to enhance passenger comfort while being composed of more sustainable materials designed for reusability.

Recognising Emirates’ commitment to ensuring passengers ‘Fly Better’, the airline was awarded the ‘World Class’ accolade for demonstrating the highest global standards of safety and well-being, sustainability and service-guest experience. Celebrating a year of record profits, a successful first year of Premium Economy Class, sizeable investments into enhancing onboard services and notable steps in the journey toward a more sustainable future, Emirates was lauded by the aviation industry for its innovation and commitment to excellence.

APEX CEO Dr. Joe Leader commented: “Tonight, we did more than merely acknowledge the prowess and passion of the airline industry; we paid tribute to 2024 APEX World Class trailblazers like Emirates, who have unequivocally etched a golden chapter in the annals of air travel beyond five stars. I had the privilege of spending invaluable moments with President Sir Tim Clark at APEX’s FTE EMEA event in Dublin earlier this year. The insights, the vision, the sheer audacity of Emirates’ approach to revolutionising the skies carried in every word he shared. Emirates is not just an airline; it’s a symphony of innovation, ambition and undying commitment to excellence.”

About Emirates’ Economy Class amenity kits

Emirates’ Economy Class range of amenity kits are complementary for customers on long-haul flights, and feature designs that represent the four essential elements of nature – fire, water, earth and air. The pouches are reusable and made from washable kraft paper, with bespoke art printed in non-toxic soy-based ink. The contents include a selection of durable travel essentials made from materials that are more environmentally friendly than single-use plastic. The toothbrushes are made from a combination of wheat-straw and plastic, and the socks and eyeshades are made from recycled plastic – in this case, rPET (recycled polyethylene terephthalate).

To complement the reusable amenity kits onboard, Emirates has several other initiatives in Economy Class which focus on using sustainable materials where possible, including cosy blankets made from recycled plastic bottles whereby each blanket is made from 28 recycled plastic bottles – an initiative that has prevented over 95 million plastic bottles from going to landfill over the last 6 years.

Single-use plastic has been reduced with the introduction of wooden tea and coffee stirrers onboard, while paper straws and inflight retail bags are made using wood and paper from responsibly managed forests. For Emirates’ youngest customers, the airline’s complementary toy bags, baby amenity kits and plush toys are also made from recycled plastic bottles and other sustainable materials. Emirates also recycles plastic and glass onboard when flights land in Dubai, diverting thousands of kilogrammes of glass and plastic away from landfill each year.

About the APEX World Class Awards

APEX (Airline Passenger Experience Association), the largest international airline association dedicated to passengers and advancing their experience, is the official ratings body that issues the new World Class award and accreditation. The APEX Official Airline Ratings were the industry’s first validated, verified and certified industry award wherein the airline’s passengers rate their overall experience on a scale of 1-5 – with Five-star being the highest honour.

To be awarded World Class, airlines must qualify by audit. Audits are conducted by industry professionals from Yates and Partners, aviation’s premier guest experience consultancy. Each audit is peer reviewed and validated by Associate Professor Dr. Maxwell Winchester of Victoria University and Copenhagen Business School, an expert in qualitative and quantitative customer research methodology. Then it is further scrutinised by the governing board of APEX, and World Class is awarded to the qualified few. APEX is the airline association run by the airlines for the airlines. APEX is the official ratings body that issues the World Class award and accreditation.

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