Emirates is honouring the 52nd UAE (United Arab Emirates) National Day on December 2; marking the occasion with regional sweet treats onboard, an array of Arabian dishes and Emirati specialities presented in the Emirates Lounges Dubai, and a library of celebrated Emirati music and movies on ice, the airline’s in-flight entertainment system.
UAE National Day is celebrated on 2 December to mark the union of the seven emirates, and Emirates customers in all classes departing Dubai will be given an Emirati-inspired sweet treat in a mini giftbox, while the aircraft interior is lit up in the colours of the UAE flag. First and Business Class customers will enjoy a duo of date tart with vanilla cream and saffron profiterole, while Premium Economy and Economy customers will have gers ogaily, a mini cake with saffron, cardamom and rose water.
In Emirates First Class Lounges in Dubai, customers can feast on traditional Emirati chicken machbous followed by an array of tempting desserts including karak profiteroles, Umm Ali spheres, lommie kabeese cheesecake and Emirati luqaimat served with dates syrup and pistachio sauce, accompanied by the Al Qahwa-Tini mocktail made with coffee, dates syrup and pistachio powder.
In the Business Class Lounges, Emirati style lamb ouzi with mint raitha and dakkus will be served, as well as Emirati chicken machbous, along with the Al Shay Butuqal mocktail, that blends rose and vanilla tea, orange and elderflower. Delectable treats will be displayed including Arabic coffee delice, loomi and rose profiteroles, gers ogaily cardamom sesame financiers and burnt gahwa chocolate tarts. Customers in both First and Business Class lounges can also treat themselves to a refreshing ice-cream from the Emirates ice-cream cart, homemade in flavours of Halwa and Arabic coffee.
Customers can get into the national spirit with Emirates award-winning ice, and enjoy a host of Emirati movies; Khorfakkan, Ghost, Bezat, 218: Behind The Walls of Silence, Nahs X Large, Kayf Tasmaony Ajeb, Safar Edtirary, Shaghaltna Arjantenia, Al Meares, Khalek Shanab 2 and Behind The Scenes. In Arabic TV, customers can be enlightened by My Story, a docudrama series inspired by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s book of the same name, or be absorbed in Al Mtwassf – proverbs about the UAE, discover Al Sanaa’, a show which explores local culture and traditions, or Al Kaboos – a series about legends and folklore in the UAE. Tune into a podcast called Fazza – Qassed Fazza, a series of poems written by HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum or a wide selection of Khaleeji music collection featuring Emirati artists, including Hussain Al Jassmi, Hazza’ah Al Minhali, Ahlam, Omar Al Marzooqi, Balqees, Abdul Menaem Al Ameri and Fayez Al Saeed.
Shopping on EmiratesRED, customers can commemorate the UAE in the form of a sleek timepiece, a limited edition Zinvo Air Blade 50 years Anniversary Edition Automatic Watch. Priced at $199.00, the watch is a futuristic and eye-catching matte black, with subtle green and red-coloured hands, and a 12 o’clock emblem in white, paying tribute to the colours of the UAE flag. The back of the watch also features an engraved and enamelled flag to symbolise the UAE’s national day. EmiratesRED pre-order is available on most flights, inviting customers to shop from 21 days up to 40 hours before their flight, and browse a wide range of exclusive products – some of which are not available onboard. Passengers need to provide their flight details during checkout, and the orders are delivered by cabin crew directly to the passenger’s seat inflight.
