Abu Dhabi: Dnata, a subsidiary of Emirates Group, said on Tuesday it has invested more than Dh545 million in 2014 to strengthen its service offerings in travel, cargo, ground handling and catering.
The investments, made across the globe, included the acquisitions of Gold Medal Travel and Stella Travel Services, new Halal kitchens, enhanced cargo infrastructure in the UK, and continued investments in the company’s operations in Dubai, dnata said in a statement.
While the business marked various milestones this year, it also faced challenges such as instability in Iraq, security threats in Pakistan, airport runway upgrades in Dubai, and increased economic pressure globally.
“In 2014, dnata continued to strengthen its business footprint, adding capacity and new complementary competencies, which will pay dividends for both dnata and our customers,” Gary Chapman, President of dnata, said in a statement.
This year, dnata became the UK’s largest long-haul travel services provider, with the acquisitions of Gold Medal Travel Group and Stella Travel Services. The UK expansion enhances Dubai’s profile as a travel destination, with both travel groups driving considerable traffic to the emirate.
The UK was also a key growth market for dnata’s airport operations, as the company enhanced cargo infrastructure at Glasgow, Birmingham, East Midlands, Newcastle and Gatwick airports.
In Manchester, the company moved into refurbished cargo facilities, and launched a greenfield passenger and ramp handling operation at the hub, dnata’s second in the UK. Dnata now handles 25 passenger flights a week at Manchester International airport.
During Dubai International’s (DXB) 80-day runway upgrade from May to July, over 300 flights a week used Al Maktoum International Airport, with dnata handling more than 20.2 million passengers during the period.
In addition to runway upgrades, dnata also worked closely with Dubai Airports and other stakeholders on other expansion work at DXB. This included the revamp of Terminal 2, and the development of Concourse D, which is set to open in 2015 and provide additional capacity of 18 million passengers.
Over the year, dnata said, it invested millions into new ground support equipment to ensure flights land safely. The company also launched its line maintenance services at DXB and Al Maktoum International-Dubai World Central (DWC) to provide technical assistance for aircrafts during landing.
It also partnered with international operator, City Sightseeing Worldwide, to provide Dubai visitors with sightseeing tours of the emirate.
Dnata currently handles over 80,000 tonnes of cargo a month at DWC, which is now a regional cargo hub with a capacity of 16 million tonnes per year.
