IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Journeys Unpacked with Dr. Saeeda Jaffar and Adnan Kazim

In this episode of Journeys Unpacked, Dr. Saeeda Jaffar, SVP & Group Country Manager GCC at Visa sits down with Adnan Kazim, Deputy President & CCO at Emirates Airline. Together they discuss the evolution of Emirates Airlines, its tremendous success and the imperative role of digital technology in shaping its future.

Adnan highlights how technology has significantly impacted the Emirates customer journey, from buying tickets online to customer service at the airport – and this positive impact is only set to accelerate. Pre-pandemic, 20-25% of sales came from digital channels, but today that figure has risen to over 50%, illustrating consumers’ increased preference for a seamless purchasing experience and value for money.

They discuss how digital payments enabled the proliferation of the loyalty program, Skywards, which allows customers to ‘earn and burn’ cash within the Emirates ecosystem. To close, they touch on broader technological advancements, such as the incorporation of the metaverse as a training tool for cabin crew and the growing role of AI in expediting procurement processes and enhancing the customer airport journey.