Emirates

Project

Dubai-based Emirates Airlines has received more than 400 international awards in recognition of its efforts to provide unsurpassed levels of customer service since its launch in 1985.  Emirates is the world’s third most profitable and among the 20 largest international airlines, not to mention one of the fastest-growing.  The airline currently operates services to 101 cities in 61 countries in Europe, North America, South America, the Middle East, Africa, the Indian subcontinent and Asia-Pacific.  Emirates’ order for 58 A380s (it has thus far received 4 aircrafts of this type), makes it the largest customer of the Airbus super-jumbo.  Emirates now has four destinations in China: Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and Hong Kong.

Objectives

Emirates was facing challenges in China since it started operations in Shanghai in 2004, including negative cognition, as its base is in Dubai in the Middle East, which the Chinese perceive as an unsafe area; low awareness in the local market; and with stiff competition from other Middle-Eastern carriers.

Ruder Finn China has been proactively dealing with these issues on behalf of Emirates in this market through systematic PR initiatives including press releases, feature articles, interviews, media gatherings, sports sponsorships and ePR.  In addition, Ruder Finn provides Emirates with on-going strategic counsel and market intelligence, an e-newsletter for its trade partners as well as issue/crisis manual preparation.

As a result, Ruder Finn has been rewarded with the clients’ appreciation, “there is no doubt that Ruder Finn is an extremely strong and efficient PR agency in the Asia Pacific region for Emirates…”  Ruder Finn has achieved an average of 120 monthly clippings with AVE approx. US$450,000.

After starting in Shanghai, Ruder Finn has extended its services on behalf of Emirates to Beijing, Guangzhou and Hong Kong.

2010 Awards

• Best International Airline 2010, China Travel Service Award by Sohu.com,
• Best Co-operating International Airline 2010, Sina.com-travel channel
• Airline of the Year, Special Trip-The World Travel Awards 2010, Oriental Morning Post
• Airline of the Year, 2010 Tourism Festival, Top Travel
• First Choice International Airline, National Geographic Traveler's fifth "Readers' Choice Gold List" Awards 2010
• Best Service Airline, World Travel Fair (WTF) Awards 2010
• Cargo Airline of the Year 2010, ACW World Air Cargo Awards
• Best Cargo Airline Middle East, Asian Freight & Supply Chain Awards (AFSCA) 2010
• Top Air Cargo Carrier，2010 IFW（International Freighting Weekly）Awards
• Air Cargo Carrier of the Year Award，2010 Supply Chain Asia Logistics Awards

 http://www.emirates.com / http://www.emirates.cn