Emirates will extend its inflight meal preordering service to more European routes after a successful run in the United Kingdom. The Dubai-based airline has also decided to deploy additional capacity to Riyadh in view of the upcoming National Day Weekend.

In an attempt to enhance passenger comfort and satisfaction, as well as curtail food waste, Emirates has decided to extend its service allowing guests to preorder their inflight meals to several new destinations across Europe. According to a press statement by the Dubai-based airline, the service is being extended to its business class passengers on flights to and from Warsaw, Venice, Rome, Bologna, Prague, Vienna, Moscow, Istanbul, Dublin, Hamburg, St Petersburg, Brussels and Madrid, as well as to and from Seychelles and Mauritius.

The move follows the successful launch of the service its UK routes and the positive feedback received from passengers. Emirates says that the initiative will be rolled out across more global routes in the coming months. The new service allows passengers in business class to preselect their main course between 14 days and 24 hours in advance of their flight departure, ensuring they get their preferred choice every time as well as helping to reduce food wastage.

It says that the guests can choose the onboard menu on its website or app and choose from a selection of regionally inspired dishes with locally sourced ingredients, up to a fortnight before a flight. It says that meal preordering is an addition to the existing suite of AI-enabled customer preference tracking data and cabin crew reports onboard Emirates, which facilitate menu planning, optimal food loading and waste minimisation.

Additional flights to Riyadh

In another development, Emirates says it has deployed three additional flights to Riyadh to support the influx of travellers to and from the Kingdom over the National Day weekend.

The airline says that the flights are conveniently scheduled so travellers can make the most of the celebrations, the additional flights will depart Dubai International Airport on September 20, 21 and 24. All flights will be operated on Boeing 777 aircraft and will run in parallel to Emirates’ existing schedule to the Kingdom.

Emirates says it has been serving the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia since 1989, flying to four gateways, Riyadh, Jeddah, Medina, Dammam, with 67 flights a week. The airline says its ongoing commitment to Saudi Arabia was reinforced by its role as the main sponsor of the King Salman Cup 2023 earlier this summer, celebrating its passion for football with the fanbase of the 16 top-tier regional clubs from across the Arab World.