Reflecting the spirit of togetherness and generosity during the Holy Month of Ramadan, Emirates (www.Emirates.com) will share thousands of iftar boxes for fasting customers both onboard and at boarding gates, offer complimentary Emirates prayer mats, screen an array of religious content and popular TV shows on ice, and present traditional Ramadan dishes in the lounges.

Emirates Iftar boxes at Boarding Gates

For the comfort of all fasting customers, complimentary iftar boxes to help break the fast containing water, laban, a banana, and dates are distributed at select Emirates Boarding Gates during iftar time.

Emirates Ramadan meal boxes and prayer mats onboard

For the month of Ramadan, customers breaking their fast across all cabin classes to select destinations will be offered nutritionally balanced Ramadan meal boxes. Iftar meals are served in bespoke boxes designed by Emirates to represent the geometric design of traditional Islamic art. The meal boxes include traditional dates, light bites of hummus, moutabel or muhammara with Arabic bread, a hearty chicken mossakan sandwich or herbed chicken sandwich, sweet treats of chocolate almonds, baklawa pistachio mamoul or baklawa pine seed cashew, and laban. Emirates’ Ramadan boxes are served in addition to the regular hot meal service.

To ensure the highest levels of accuracy for fasting Muslim passengers, Emirates uses a unique tool to calculate the correct timings for imsak (the time to commence fasting) and iftar while inflight, based on the times of the sunrise and sunset of the location the flight is passing by using the aircraft’s longitude, latitude, and altitude. When the sun sets, passengers will be officially informed of the iftar time by the captain.

Emirates also has special keepsake prayer mats on all flights, which are available by request to Cabin Crew.

Ramadan refreshments in the lounges

Across the 7 Emirates Lounges in Dubai International Airport (DXB), an array of Arabic sweets, dates and coffee will be offered during Ramadan. Traditional dishes available in First and Business Class lounges will include a selection of hot and cold Arabic mezze, lentil soup, Arabic mixed grill with tahina, lamb kabsa, chicken machboos with cucumber yoghurt sauce, lamb shanks ouzi with hashweh rice and dakous, followed by desserts of pistachio kunafa, kathayef cream, basbousa saffron, kitta cheesecake, cheese kunafa, walnut kathayef, homemade Arabic coffee and dates ice cream or baklawa ice cream, a host of traditional Arabic pastries, and classic drinks of jallab and laban. Emirates Lounges in Cairo and Jeddah will also serve an array of delicious Ramadan dishes.

Emirates Lounges have dedicated prayer rooms and ablution facilities to ensure a peaceful environment for worship. 

Ramadan content and popular series on ice

For the duration of the Holy Month, Emirates ice will feature special religious content including Kheir Qodwa, Qalb Al Mo'men, Wa Yatoub Allah Alaykom, Al Huqooq Al Sharaeya, and Nafhat in Arabic. In Urdu, ice will feature Ramadan Mah e Rehmat and Hoshyarian. The Holy Qur’an is also available on ice.

Popular series and dramas will be available such as Ma Taraho Laysa Kama Yabdo, Febrayer Al Aswad and Al Mtwassf as well as Hazza. Amongst more than 6500 channels of on demand entertainment on ice, there are up to 450 channels of movies and TV in the Arabic language, as well as 400 channels of Arabic music and podcasts.

Emirates’ new Bukhoor Scents for Ramadan

To enhance the Ramadan spirit at home and set the mood, Emirates has launched a new range of Bukhoor scents perfect for the season. The new home fragrances include the bestselling Oud Rose with notes of raspberry, rose, geranium, oud, patchouli and vanilla, as well as new additions Dreamy Nights featuring sweet green citrus, sweet balsam, jasmine, amber, cedar and spicy vanilla, and finally Sacred Ember with notes of saffron, lavender, bergamot, musk, tobacco and cedar. Ideal for Ramadan gifting, each 70g pot of Bukhoor is available for USD 52 in the Emirates Official Store (http://apo-opa.co/4aRQGsy), in an elegant white and gold design featuring Emirates’ signature Ghaf tree motif.

Supporting Emirates customers on Umrah

For Umrah groups travelling to Jeddah and Medina during the Holy Month, Ramadan boxes will be served inflight. Customers are also entitled to check in one bottle of ‘ZAMZAM’ - Islamic holy water containing up to 5 litres per person at Dubai International Airport (DXB) and various airports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Ramadan Awareness Training for Emirates staff

Emirates provides Ramadan awareness training for its cabin crew and on ground teams in Dubai and across its network. Special training resources have been provided to ensure operational teams are aware of the Holy Month, understand the cultural significance and nuances of this time and recognise specific practices that Muslims engage in, so they are prepared to provide the highest levels of service to customers throughout their travel experience.