Millions of Muslims from around the world will make their way to Makkah in early June to perform Hajj. AFP
Millions of Muslims from around the world will make their way to Makkah in early June to perform Hajj. AFP
Millions of Muslims from around the world will make their way to Makkah in early June to perform Hajj. AFP
Millions of Muslims from around the world will make their way to Makkah in early June to perform Hajj. AFP

Lifestyle

Travel

Emirates launches additional flights for Eid Al Adha and Hajj

Airline will also allow pilgrims to check in five litres of Zamzam water

David Tusing

May 23, 2025

  • English
  • Arabic

Emirates airline is ramping up operations for this year's Hajj season and Eid Al Adha break.

Millions of Muslims around the world will make their way to Makkah for the pilgrimage in early June to perform Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam. Meanwhile, Eid Al Adha, which coincides with the third day of Hajj and lasts three days, is a public holiday in many countries.

In the UAE, Eid Al Adha is expected to start on Friday, June 6, and finish on Sunday, June 8.

The Dubai airline announced 33 special flights to Jeddah and Madinah operating until May 31 and between June 10 and 16 to support the thousands of pilgrims travelling to Makkah.

The airline said it will be transporting nearly 32,000 Hajj passengers over the next three weeks from around the world, including from the US, Pakistan, Indonesia, South Africa, Thailand and Cote d'Ivoire.

Eid Al Adha travellers

For Eid Al Adha, Emirates will also operate 13 more flights to and from regional destinations including Amman, Dammam, Kuwait and Bahrain to meet high demand as people travel for the long break.

On Wednesday, flydubai announced it was resuming flights from Dubai to Damascus after 12 years of halted operations, also in time for Eid Al Adha. Damascus was one of flydubai's first destinations nearly 16 years ago, but services were halted at the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011.

Flydubai's Flight FZ 115 will take off daily from Dubai International's Terminal 2 at 6.30am local time and arrive at Damascus International Airport at 8.45am local time. The corresponding Flight FZ 116 will take off from Damascus at 10am, arriving in Dubai at 2.20pm.

Hajj travellers

Emirates has made special arrangements for Hajj travellers on the ground and onboard. Photo: Emirates
Emirates has made special arrangements for Hajj travellers on the ground and onboard. Photo: Emirates

Emirates is also making special arrangements for Hajj travellers.

It has instituted dedicated airport teams to guide pilgrims through arrivals, connections and hotel transfers in Dubai. On-board, the airline has also added Hajj luggage tags and introduced a Hajj kit featuring a prayer mat, tasbih beads, silicone water bottles and cushioned non-slip socks.

All Emirates passengers returning from Jeddah and Madinah can also check in up to five litres of Zamzam water, which will be placed in the aircraft’s cargo area.

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  • Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

Buy farm-fresh food

The UAE is stepping up its game when it comes to platforms for local farms to show off and sell their produce.

In Dubai, visit Emirati Farmers Souq at The Pointe every Saturday from 8am to 2pm, which has produce from Al Ammar Farm, Omar Al Katri Farm, Hikarivege Vegetables, Rashed Farms and Al Khaleej Honey Trading, among others. 

In Sharjah, the Aljada residential community will launch a new outdoor farmers’ market every Friday starting this weekend. Manbat will be held from 3pm to 8pm, and will host 30 farmers, local home-grown entrepreneurs and food stalls from the teams behind Badia Farms; Emirates Hydroponics Farms; Modern Organic Farm; Revolution Real; Astraea Farms; and Al Khaleej Food. 

In Abu Dhabi, order farm produce from Food Crowd, an online grocery platform that supplies fresh and organic ingredients directly from farms such as Emirates Bio Farm, TFC, Armela Farms and mother company Al Dahra. 

Fixtures

Friday Leganes v Alaves, 10.15pm; Valencia v Las Palmas, 12.15am

Saturday Celta Vigo v Real Sociedad, 8.15pm; Girona v Atletico Madrid, 10.15pm; Sevilla v Espanyol, 12.15am

Sunday Athletic Bilbao v Getafe, 8.15am; Barcelona v Real Betis, 10.15pm; Deportivo v Real Madrid, 12.15am

Monday Levante v Villarreal, 10.15pm; Malaga v Eibar, midnight

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Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south

Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

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TRAP

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Director: M Night Shyamalan

Rating: 3/5

Name: Peter Dicce

Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics

Favourite sport: soccer

Favourite team: Bayern Munich

Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer

Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates 

 

 

 

TO A LAND UNKNOWN

Director: Mahdi Fleifel

Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa

Rating: 4.5/5

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IF YOU GO
 
The flights: FlyDubai offers direct flights to Catania Airport from Dubai International Terminal 2 daily with return fares starting from Dh1,895.
 
The details: Access to the 2,900-metre elevation point at Mount Etna by cable car and 4x4 transport vehicle cost around €57.50 (Dh248) per adult. Entry into Teatro Greco costs €10 (Dh43). For more go to www.visitsicily.info

 Where to stay: Hilton Giardini Naxos offers beachfront access and accessible to Taormina and Mount Etna. Rooms start from around €130 (Dh561) per night, including taxes.

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Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

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Updated: May 23, 2025, 7:06 AM
Eid Al Adha 2025Emirates AirlinesFlydubaiHajj 2025