Emirates, the UAE flag carrier, has confirmed the introduction of its new package delivery service, Emirates Courier Express, after initial skepticism about the announcement on April 1. While many initially perceived it to be an April Fool's joke, given the surreal image of an Airbus A380 on a suburban street, Emirates has clarified its serious intentions in extending its logistical capabilities.
The new service aims to utilize the existing cargo space on Emirates' passenger flights for business parcel shipments. Although aircraft won't be landing on residential streets, the service has already been operational for some time, moving "several thousands of packages from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, South Africa, and the UK" with an average delivery time of less than 48 hours.
Dennis Lister, Senior VP of Product and Innovation at Emirates SkyCargo, said: "Emirates Courier Express is the result of challenging the status quo... The new product launch reflects our ongoing commitment to push the boundaries to introduce innovations that drive real impact."