The Pakistani pilot who helped Emirates take off: Remembering Captain Fazle Ghani

Dubai: As Emirates celebrates its 40th anniversary this week, the airline’s remarkable rise from a two-plane start-up to one of the world’s most recognised carriers is once again shining a spotlight on the man who flew its very first flight — Captain Fazle Ghani, a Pakistani pilot whose calm professionalism helped write aviation history.

On October 25, 1985, Captain Ghani, then a senior pilot with Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), commanded Emirates Flight EK600 from Dubai to Karachi, the fledgling airline’s inaugural service. The short hop across the Arabian Sea marked the beginning of Emirates’ global journey, one that now spans six continents and connects more than 140 cities.

“That first flight was more than just a take-off, it was the start of a dream,” Captain Ghani once said in an interview reflecting on his role in the airline’s early days. “We were building something from the ground up, with limited resources but limitless determination,” he added.

Pakistan’s role in the birth of Emirates

Before the first flight took off, the UAE government turned to Pakistan for support in establishing its new national airline. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) provided technical and operational assistance, leasing an Airbus A300B4-200 and a Boeing 737-300, while dispatching a team of aviation professionals to Dubai to help launch Emirates’ flight operations.

Captain Ghani was appointed Project Director and Chief Pilot for the inaugural operations. “I came to Dubai on October 1, 1985, and met Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum,” he said in a video released by Emirates on its 30th anniversary. “On October 18, a group of pilots, engineers, and flight staff from Pakistan arrived to prepare for launch. We began test flights and checks to ensure everything would run to plan.”

Recalling those early days with humour, he once shared, “We were short of uniforms and flight caps, some were too big for the pilots and looked quite funny. But none of that mattered. The important thing was that we took off on time and safely.”

A symbolic first destination

Karachi was chosen as Emirates’ first destination, reflecting both geographical closeness and Pakistan’s instrumental role in helping establish the airline. That inaugural flight, EK600, was followed later the same day by a Dubai—Mumbai service operated by another Pakistani pilot, Captain Ejaz ul Haq.

PIA’s then-chief, Air Marshal Arshad Malik, later described Captain Ghani as the “lead founder pilot of Emirates”, acknowledging his contribution to the airline’s historic first take-off.

“Captain Fazle Ghani was a pioneer whose professionalism and leadership helped set the foundation for Emirates’ success,” Malik said in a statement following Ghani’s passing recently.

A legacy remembered

In 2018, when Emirates operated its first-ever A380 flight to Pakistan, landing in Islamabad, the airline invited Captain Ghani as a guest of honour to mark the milestone. Standing by the world’s largest passenger jet, he was visibly moved.

“I am greatly honoured that Emirates remembered me. To see how far the airline has come fills me with pride. I was blessed to work with such competent professionals and to play a small part in this success story,” he had told Gulf News in an interview on the occasion.

Captain Ghani passed away in Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, after a prolonged illness, but his legacy continues to inspire aviators across the region.

From two aircraft to global dominance

In four decades, Emirates has evolved from those early wet-leased aircraft and a small team of pioneers into one of the world’s largest and most admired airlines.

A statement from Emirates commemorating its founding year paid tribute to the contributions of Captain Ghani and the original team: “The passion, skill and determination of those early aviators including Captain Fazle Ghani remain at the heart of Emirates’ story. Their legacy lives on in every flight we operate today.”

As Emirates celebrates 40 years of excellence, the story of the Pakistani captain who guided its first flight off the ground remains an enduring reminder that every great journey begins with a single, courageous take-off.

How Emirates’ first flight took shape: 1985

October 1, 1985 — Captain Fazle Ghani arrives in Dubai

Ghani meets Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum and Maurice Flanagan, Emirates’ first Managing Director, to discuss flight operations and planning for the airline’s launch.

October 18, 1985 — Team from Pakistan arrives

Around 100 pilots, engineers, and staff from Pakistan International Airlines arrive in Dubai to prepare the airline’s first flights, conduct test flights, and ensure operational readiness.

October 20, 1985 — First aircraft arrive in Dubai

Two wet-leased aircraft, an Airbus A300 B4-200 and a Boeing 737-300, arrive from Pakistan, forming the first fleet of Emirates.

October 25, 1985 — Historic maiden flights

EK600: Piloted by Captain Fazle Ghani, Dubai to Karachi, marking Emirates’ first international flight.

Second flight: Piloted by Captain Ejaz ul Haq, Dubai to Mumbai, completing the airline’s initial launch day operations.

Post-flight achievements

Captain Ghani trains the first batch of UAE national pilots, who receive commercial licenses through Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority.

Emirates begins building its global reputation for operational excellence, laying the foundation for future expansion.