Emirates regional manager Ibrahim Ghanim: 'We are investing in the Greek market'

Emirates airlines continues to invest in the Greek market, serving over 4.5 million passengers in the last 28 years, Emirates Area Manager for Greece and Albania Ibrahim Ghanim said in an interview published by Athens-Macedonia News Agency (ANA-MPA) on Saturday.
Speaking to journalist Vasso Koutsouba, Ibrahim Ghanim said that Emirates has been operating in Greece since 1996, and was the first airline to connect Athens and Dubai directly. In addition, since March 2017 the Dubai-based airline has been running the only direct flight between Greece and the United States 365 days a year. As of June 1 to October 25, it adds another daily flight, as well as a daily flight from Athens to Newark during the same months.
"In the last few years, we are seeing a steady rise in passenger travel, which proves Greece's importance as a tourist and business destination. Emirates continues to invest in the Greek market, offering new choices of travel for Greek passengers, as the introduction of the refurbished Boeing 777s with upgraded cabin experiences," the Emirates regional director said.
He added that the airline remained focused on serving Greece without suspending flights during the coronavirus pandemic, boosting its standing as a reliable air carrier.
Ghanim also pointed out that Emirates has established a strong presence in markets that are very important for Greece, such as the United Arab Emirates, Europe, Asia, and North America. The top destinations for Greek passengers flying Emirates from Athens include Newark Liberty International Airport of New York (EWR) and the International Airport of Dubai (DXB), he added.
The Emirates official also referred to a memorandum of cooperation signed with the Greek National Tourism Organization in the context of the ITB Berlin fair in 2024, frequent flights to Asian and Australian cities like Tokyo, Hong Kong and Sydney, which attract a significant volume of passengers from Greece, and collaborations with Aegean and Sky Express airlines.
Ghanim also revealed that Emirates SkyCargo, another service the airline group offers, transported over 12,000 tons of cargo to and from Athens in 2024, while it averages 150 tons of cargo every week from Greece - 70 tons heading to New York and 80 tons to Dubai. Imports include nearly 5-10 tons from New York and 50-70 tons from Dubai. In recent years, he said, Emirates has also increased its transport of perishable products, representing nearly 55% of the total cargo from Athens. The main perishable product is fish - especially sea bass and sea bream - that are exported to New York. Other basic categories of cargo include ship spare parts, electronics, cosmetics, aluminium, marble, art works, and exhibition materials.
(Photo courtesty Emirates)