Emirates to serve dates to Indians flying to Dubai

Gulf airline Emirates on Tuesday said it will serve one million dates at 'iftar' and 'suhoor' on board and on ground to passengers travelling from India to Dubai during the month-long Ramadan fasting.

"Passengers travelling to Dubai from India during this period can enjoy our specially prepared iftar meals on board and on the ground in Dubai to mark the auspicious Ramadan fasting," said Emirates in a statement here.

The holy month of Ramadan began in India on early Tuesday with pre-dawn meals (suhoor) and a day-long fasting which is broken at sunset with a sip of water and dates for a feast (iftar) in the company of family and friends.

Passengers breaking fast on board will be offered iftar boxes with a nutritional meal.

Each box consists of couscous salad and grilled chicken or moudardara and roasted chicken, sandwiches, spinach fatayer or tomato and onion fatayer, assorted sweets, dates, laban and water.

"Over 150,000 iftar boxes will be served during the holy month, ensuring passengers are well catered for in addition to the usual meal services on board. The iftar box menus will be refreshed mid-Ramadan," said the airline.

The special meals will be offered to fliers across cabin classes on flights that coincide with iftar times and those catering to Umrah groups travelling to Jeddah and Medina in Saudi Arabia during the Ramadan. Dates and water will also be offered at the boarding gates of select flights.

To mark the end of Ramadan, fliers will be served sweets for Eid from June 4-6 on select flights.