Photo: Emirates Emirates is opening its hospitality training expertise to companies across the United Arab Emirates, allowing businesses to send their teams to specialized courses based on the airline's approach to customer service.
The airline's $8 million Center of Hospitality Excellence, located within the Emirates Crew Training Center in Dubai, was originally developed as part of its cabin crew training program. It is now also available to external organizations seeking to improve customer service, dining experiences and hospitality standards.
Photo: EmiratesThe purpose-built facility includes a restaurant and lounge with capacity for up to 170 guests, presentation kitchens and eight technology-equipped classrooms. Its design draws on the hospitality standards Emirates applies to its international passenger services, particularly in First and Business Class.
The courses cover a range of subjects, including fine dining, guest relations, service etiquette, wine education, gastronomy and leadership. Training programs can be customized to individual companies and run for between one and five days.
Photo: EmiratesAmong the available programs is Hospitality Excellence, which introduces participants to Emirates' service philosophy through practical exercises, case studies and an assessment of each organization's training needs.
The 7-Star Dining Experience focuses on table presentation, dining etiquette and guest interaction, while L'Art du Vin introduces participants to wine theory, tasting techniques and food pairing. The latter is delivered by trainers certified at WSET Level 3.
Another program, Gastronomy, offers hands-on culinary workshops led by chefs with international experience, covering advanced cooking techniques, flavor combinations and food presentation.
Photo: EmiratesCompanies can also arrange customized team-building activities, leadership sessions with Emirates executives and behind-the-scenes tours of the airline's training facilities, including aircraft simulators and culinary training areas.
According to Emirates, the center has already hosted representatives from government organizations, universities and major regional businesses since launching its external training programs.
Thomas Ney, Emirates' Divisional Senior Vice President of Service Delivery, said the airline wants to share the hospitality expertise it has developed over decades with organizations across the UAE.
The center also remains an important part of Emirates' own training operations. The airline employs more than 25,000 cabin crew members representing over 140 nationalities and speaking more than 70 languages.
New cabin crew complete an intensive eight-week training program at the Dubai facility, covering aviation safety, emergency procedures, security, medical training, hospitality and service delivery.
The training includes practical exercises using full-motion aircraft simulators and specialized facilities designed to recreate different aspects of the onboard passenger experience.
Emirates also uses the center to train cabin crew in gastronomy and wine service. During immersive dining sessions, crew members experience a four-course meal prepared by the airline's master chefs, featuring dishes served in its First and Business Class cabins. The aim is to help employees understand the passenger experience from the guest's perspective.
The airline's hospitality strategy was developed in partnership with Switzerland's Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne in 2020. It is built around four principles: excellence, attentiveness, innovation and passion.
By opening the facility to outside businesses, Emirates is extending that approach beyond aviation, targeting companies in the UAE that want to improve the way they serve customers.