Emirates brings in no-nonsense referee for bad in-flight etiquette


Hayley Skirka
  • English
  • Arabic

Emirates is celebrating the start of the Rugby World Cup 2019 by pairing up with international referee Nigel Owens to remind passengers of the rules in play when flying with the airline.

In the first of a series of lighthearted videos, rugby refereeing legend Nigel Owens appears on an Emirates flight dressed in an official Rugby World Cup Japan 2019 top.

Nigel Owens is onboard with Emirates to celebrate the launch of the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Courtesy Emirates
Nigel Owens is onboard with Emirates to celebrate the launch of the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Courtesy Emirates

Blowing his whistle at an Irish rugby-shirt wearing passenger that's falling asleep on another traveller's shoulder, Owens yells "Roll away Green, roll away. Get back on your own side."

The stunned passenger moves back towards his own seat before Owens sprints off down the cabin.

Blowing the whistle on bad behaviour 

Dubbed Emirates etiquette guide to Rugby World Cup 2019, the video is the first of several tongue-in-cheek videos designed to show travellers what is fair play in the air.

More videos starring the world-record holding referee will be released across Emirates digital platforms and the airline’s social media channels throughout the tournament.

Hosted every four years, the Rugby World Cup sees 20 nations compete for the coveted Webb Ellis Cup. This year, it is taking place in Japan and kicks off today, Friday, September 20, running until Saturday, November 2.

Emirates is an official worldwide partner of the Rugby World Cup 2019 and passengers flying with the airline can watch all the matches live on Emirates' Boeing 777 fleet and the majority of its A380 aircraft.

Over 1.8 million people are expected to attend the tournament which is the third largest sporting event in the world.

A third of spectators will travel to Japan from overseas with many people making use of Emirates' daily flights to Osaka and Tokyo from Dubai International Airport.

MWTC

Tickets start from Dh100 for adults and are now on sale at www.ticketmaster.ae and Virgin Megastores across the UAE. Three-day and travel packages are also available at 20 per cent discount.

In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe

Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010

Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille

Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm

Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year

Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”

Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners

TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013 

10 tips for entry-level job seekers
  • Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
  • Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
  • Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
  • For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
  • Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
  • Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
  • Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
  • Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
  • Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
  • Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.

Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz

Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge – Rally schedule:

Saturday: Super Special Spectator Stage – Yas Marina Circuit – start 3.30pm.
Sunday: Yas Marina Circuit Stage 1 (276.01km)
Monday: Nissan Stage 2 (287.92km)
Tuesday: Al Ain Water Stage 3 (281.38km)
Wednesday: ADNOC Stage 4 (244.49km)
Thursday: Abu Dhabi Aviation Stage 5 (218.57km) Finish: Yas Marina Circuit – 4.30pm.

The line up

Friday: Giggs, Sho Madjozi and Masego  

Saturday: Nas, Lion Bbae, Roxanne Shante and DaniLeigh  

Sole DXB runs from December 6 to 8 at Dubai Design District. Weekend pass is Dh295 while a one day pass is Dh195. Tickets are available from www.soledxb.com