Emirates is investing heavily in luxury hospitality training for its nearly 25,000 cabin crew with the opening of its new Centre of Hospitality Excellence in Dubai.
The US$8 million training facility is dedicated to refining the art of service, with a strong emphasis on delivering hospitality to the highest of standards. More than 10,000 crew will be trained at the centre by the end of the year.
“Emirates continues to uplift the ‘fly better’ experience for our valued customers. We have invested in the highest levels of luxury hospitality training for our cabin crew, enabling them to really relate to the customers they serve and create unforgettable signature moments,” Emirates’ DSVP of Service Delivery Thomas Ney said.
“We are delighted to provide our crew with immersive training, allowing them to personally sample the cuisine, the beverages, the ambiance and ultimately, the hospitality Emirates is renowned for. This is how we empower world class cabin crew.”
The centre is home to an extensive hospitality curriculum inspired by Michelin-star standards. Since 2020, Emirates has collaborated with the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne to craft an elevated service strategy. Today, the Centre of Hospitality Excellence stands as “the emblem of this very strategy,” designed to share the airline’s four hospitality pillars: excellence, attentiveness, innovation, and passion.
A highlight of the program is the immersive fine dining experience, where cabin crew are “personally served their meal by Emirates’ elite training team,” and enjoy a curated four-course menu designed by Emirates’ master chefs. In the bespoke training kitchen – part galley, part fine-dining kitchen – crew learn the art of plating and visual presentation.
The Art of Service course emphasises emotional intelligence, situational awareness and presence. “Fine dining is a dialogue between the host and guest,” the curriculum explains, promoting “savoir-être – the art of presence, poise, and emotional intelligence.”
Meanwhile, the L’art du Vin wine training builds sommelier-level confidence, offering tasting experiences and food-pairing education based on Emirates’ onboard wine selection.
