Annual Report 2008-2009 - Emirates.com

XDAS also provided support for the relief effort
after the earthquake in the neighbouring
Sichuan province in May 2008 and played a
role in supporting traffic flows for the Beijing
Olympics.
Dnata Switzerland achieved a five per cent
growth in flight volumes, benefitting from the
Euro 2008 football championships hosted in
Switzerland and Austria. The company renewed
contracts with several key customers during the
year and was awarded new contracts with five
airlines, First Choice, Dniproavia, Uzbekistan
Airways, Jet4You and Jet Time.
Dnata Inc (Philippines) which provides ground
handling at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International
Airport enjoyed significant growth and
achieved its strongest-ever profit performance.
It handled 4,600 flights, representing a seven
per cent increase on the previous year and won
a contract for one new customer, Hawaiian
Airlines. Dnata Inc invested heavily to ensure it
achieved a significant improvement in service
performance on behalf of its customer airlines.
Gerry’s Dnata, the ground handling joint
venture in Pakistan, handled 4,900 flights
during the year. Although this represented a
reduction as a result of Air Blue self-handling its
flights in Pakistan, the impact on profitability
was minimal. Adjusting for this, Gerry’s Dnata
has seen another year of continued growth,
with success in winning new customers such as
Sama Airlines.
Toll Dnata Airport Services (TDAS), the ground
handling joint venture in Australia, enjoyed a
dramatic expansion, handling 15,500 flights
at six airports, which represented a significant
volume increase on the previous year.
TDAS was proud to be the first handling agent in
the world to handle the arrival of a commercial
flight by the new Airbus A380 aircraft in
April 2008, operated by Singapore Airlines. It
now handles A380s on a daily basis for both
Singapore Airlines and Emirates at Sydney.
TDAS was appointed ground handling agent for
V Australia, the new long-haul airline in Australia
and Air Asia X.
Emirates Leisure, Hotels & Catering
Emirates Leisure Retail (ELR) expanded
significantly and has established itself as one of
the most respected leisure retailers in the UAE.
The number of Costa outlets in the UAE has
doubled in the last two years and now numbers
65. The UAE remains the biggest single market
for the Costa brand outside the UK.
Following the extraordinary success of the Left
Bank restaurants in the Madinat Jumeirah and in
Muscat, ELR has opened two further Left Bank
outlets, at Souq Al Bahar in Dubai and at Souq
Qaryat Al Beri in Abu Dhabi. It also opened a
third Noodle House restaurant at Souq Qaryat
Al Beri.
ELR has diversified its portfolio with the
introduction of three new brands in the UAE
during the year. It launched the Hey Pesto and
Deli Express brands in Dubai and the Good-2-Go
healthy-eating quick-service restaurant at Dubai
International airport.
ELR also established a new subsidiary in
Australia for the Hudsons chain of coffee shops
in March 2009. Hudsons is one of Australia’s
strongest coffee brands with over 51 outlets
across Australia.
Premier Inn Hotels is a joint venture between
Emirates and Whitbread Plc designed to bring
value-for-money hotel accommodation to the
Dubai market.
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Left Bank at Souk Al Bahar
in Dubai
Toll Dnata Airport Services (TDAS)
handled the arrival of the world’s
first commercial A380 flight for
Singapore Airlines at Sydney
International Airport