Ramadan 2024: Emirates Airlines introduces Ramzan meal boxes on select routes, including on flights for Jeddah & Medina

Ramadan 2024: Emirates Airlines has announced a range of special offerings to celebrate the holy month of Ramadan. At the airline's lounges in Dubai International Airport (DXB), travellers can savour traditional Arabic delights, including sweets, dates, and coffee, according to a report by Moneycontrol.

In the First and Business Class lounges, the menu will feature a curated selection of hot and cold Arabic mezze, lentil soup, Arabic mixed grill with tahini, chicken kabsa served with dakous and raita, and desserts such as kunafa pistachio cream, basboussa saffron, walnut kathayef ashta, and ice cream flavours inspired by Arabic coffee, dates, and baklawa. Additionally, a variety of traditional Arabic sweets and pastries will be available, the report added.

The Emirates lounges offer dedicated prayer rooms and ablution facilities, catering to the spiritual needs of observant travellers. For fasting customers, complimentary iftar boxes will be offered at select Emirates boarding gates during iftar time to help break the fast. These boxes will contain water, laban (a refreshing yoghurt-based drink), a banana, and dates, the report added.

To ensure accurate timings for fasting Muslim passengers on board, Emirates employs a unique tool that calculates the correct times for imsak (the commencement of fasting) and iftar based on the aircraft's longitude, latitude, and altitude. When the sun sets, passengers will be officially informed of the iftar time by the captain, as per the report.

Commencing March 11, passengers on select routes will receive nutritionally balanced Ramadan meal boxes, across all cabin classes. These iftar meals, served in bespoke boxes inspired by the Emirati Al Sadu weavers, feature traditional Emirati patterns. Offerings include hummus with spinach, tabbouleh with baba ghanoush, Moroccan or zatar chicken sandwiches, along with sweet treats like almond chocolate and Arabic baklawa. Staples such as traditional dates and refreshing laban are also included.

Additionally, Ramadan boxes will be served on flights catering to Umrah groups travelling to Jeddah and Medina during the holy month. Passengers are also entitled to check in one bottle of Islamic holy water 'Zamzam' containing up to 5 litres per person at Dubai International Airport (DXB) and various airports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the report said.