Name: Orhan Abbas
Title: Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, The Americas, Emirates
Company, city: Emirates; Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Number of employees: 52,000
Recent project: After launching our daily Washington, D.C. service in September, we began twice-daily Airbus A380 operations from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. In Dubai, Concourse A — the world’s only dedicated A380 concourse — opened on Jan. 1, featuring the world’s largest first- and business-class lounges.
First job: I joined Emirates 14 years ago as a management trainee.
Little-known fact about you: I recently became a father to twin boys.
Your Business
Essential business philosophy: Emirates is built on connecting people through meaningful, innovative and shared experiences. We do more than transport passengers: we support their interests, offer choice and create memorable moments across more than 125 destinations worldwide.
Best way to keep a competitive edge: Innovation is one of our core values. Emirates has introduced many industry firsts, and we maintain our leadership by adopting advanced developments across our entire operation.
Yardstick of success: Passion drives success. I measure success by dedication to the job and the company — I dream, think and breathe Emirates.
Orhan Abbas as a Traveler
Most important item when traveling: My iPad.
How I spend time on board: I enjoy reading and watching films. With 1,400 channels on Emirates’ in-flight entertainment system and around 300 movies available on every flight, there’s always plenty to choose from.
Favorite restaurants: I enjoy Japanese cuisine; Zuma, Nobu and Benihana are among my favorites.
Favorite destinations: Aside from Dubai, London is my favorite city and I visit as often as I can. In the United States, New York is my preferred city — I love walking among the skyscrapers.
About Emirates
What travelers can expect from Emirates: Travelers can experience our flagship Airbus A380 at JFK on morning and evening services, and fly to more destinations via Dubai as we expand our global network. We announced new services to Algiers and Warsaw and continue to evaluate additional routes to serve growing demand.
What makes our premium cabins unique: Emirates pioneered many premium innovations, including the first private suites in first class and the only shower spas in the sky on the A380. Premium passengers benefit from complementary beverages and canapés in the onboard lounge. Our premium offering begins before departure with chauffeur-driven transfers, dedicated check-in counters, priority baggage handling and access to exclusive lounges.
Our in-flight entertainment system, ice, is available in all cabins and is among the industry’s most comprehensive. Customers can make and receive phone calls, emails and texts via seat-back communications on all flights, and access WiFi and in-flight mobile services on selected routes.
Recent accomplishments in the North American market: Our U.S. network has performed strongly. In 2012 we launched three new U.S. routes (Washington, D.C.; Dallas/Fort Worth; Seattle) and opened our first West Coast lounge at San Francisco International Airport. We celebrated the delivery of our 1,000th Boeing 777, the 102nd in our 777 fleet, and added 15 destinations to our global network. These expansions help connect passengers with family and business opportunities and support inbound tourism through our seven U.S. gateways.
Industry recognition highlights our progress: Global Traveler’s 2012 GT Tested Reader Survey named Emirates Best Airline for International First Class, Best First-Class Seat Design, Best Airline in the Middle East and Best Airport Lounges. Travel Weekly also named Emirates Best Business/First Class Airline.
We engage customers through sponsorships and partnerships that reflect their interests, including the Emirates Airline US Open Series and Emirates Team New Zealand, and through cultural and sporting partnerships such as the San Francisco Symphony and USA Rugby.