With the start of the Holy Month of Ramadan this month, Emirates is preparing thousands of Iftar meal boxes for fasting passengers, both onboard and at boarding gates. Traditional Ramadan refreshments and meals will also be served in Emirates’ lounges.
On Monday (March 20, 2023), Emirates’ announced that they will once again embrace the spirit of the Holy Month of Ramadan with a thoughtful guest journey. From March 22, 2023, customers breaking their fasts in all cabin classes to select destinations will receive thoughtful, nutritionally-balanced iftar meal boxes. The meals will be served in bespoke boxes designed by Emirates to represent the rich Emirati heritage of the Al Sadu weavers. Al Sadu is a traditional form of weaving is practiced by Bedouin women of the UAE, who hand-made soft furnishings and decorative accessories with distinctive geometric patterns.
The iftar meal boxes will include light dishes and starters such as hummus and spinach bil zeit, Greek salad and cauliflower bil tahini, falafel sandwiches, pasta salad and fried aubergine with mint, zaatar chicken salad and cauliflower bil tahini, chicken musakhan sandwiches with Arabic bread. Additionally, staples including traditional dates and refreshing laban will be included. A smaller box will also be served at Iftar time including all the essentials to comfortable break the fast. Emirates’ iftar box will complement the regular hot meal service, and menus will be refreshed on a weekly basis to ensure a best-in-class dining experience during the Holy Month.
The boxes will be served on flights to select destination during times that coincide with iftar, on flights to/from the Gulf region, as well as flights catering to Umrah groups traveling to Jeddah and Medina during Ramadan. Additionally, passengers may check in one bottle of Islamic holy water ‘ZAMZAM’, containing up to five liters per person at Dubai International Airport (DXB) and at various airports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Ensuring the highest level 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. This is accomplished by using the aircraft’s longitude, latitude and altitude. At sunset, passengers will be officially informed of the iftar time by the family. For customers boarding during iftar times, boxes containing water, a banana and dates will be available to fasting customers at gates to several destinations.
During Ramadan, Emirates’ lounges at DXB will feature traditional Arabic sweets, dates and coffee. Meals in First and Business Class lounges will include a selection of hot and cold Arabic mezzeh, lentil soup, lamb ouzi served with dakous and coriander mint raita, shish taouk with harissa red pepper dip and Emirati ouzi. The dessert selection will feature kunafa with pistachio and baklava ice cream, baklawa pistachio finger, sweet cashew kol w shkor, and Arabic coffee and dates ice cream. Emirates lounges are also equipped with dedicated prayer rooms and ablution facilities, ensuring a peaceful environment for worship.
Emirates is Preparing Thousands of Iftar Meal Boxes for Fasting Passengers During the Holy Month of Ramadan - Courtesy Emirates
Throughout March and April, Emirates ice inflight entertainment (IFE) system will feature special religious content and popular Ramadan series and dramas, as well as over 5,000 channels of on-demand entertainment, including 742 Arabic channels.
Source: Emirates