Summary
- Emirates is providing special iftar meal boxes to fasting passengers at lounges and choose gates during Ramadan.
- Etihad’s offerings include a wide range of traditional Ramadan treats with a contemporary twist.
- Qatar Airways is offering an additional 15kg baggage allowance freed from charge for passengers traveling between Doha and Jeddah during Ramadan.
The holy month of Ramadan is currently underway. With many passengers of the Islamic faith traveling during this era, the large three Middle Eastern carriers have offered special conveniences to make their journeys more comfortable. This includes specially curated meals and much more baggage allowance on a specific route.
Emirates’ iftar boxes
Emirates is handing out meal boxes to fasting passengers each onboard and at boarding gates. On the airline’s lounges at Dubai International Airport (DXB), passengers can find traditional Arabic sweets, dates and low during Ramadan.
Photo: Emirates
The lounges also offer a number of cold and warm Arabic mezze, in addition to lentil soup. For principal course, there may be Arabic mixed grill with tahina and chicken kabsa served with dakous and raita. And the number of desserts includes kunafa pistachio cream, basboussa saffron, walnut kathayef ashta, and ice cream flavors of Arabic coffee and dates or baklawa, alongside a number of traditional Arabic sweets and pastries.
At select Emirates gates, fasting passengers are being offered complimentary iftar boxes to assist break the fast. These contain water, laban, a banana, and dates. Onboard, customers breaking their fast across all cabins on select routes might be given nutritionally balanced Ramadan meal boxes.
These include light bites from hummus with spinach and Arabic bread to tabbouleh with baba ghanoush, alongside sandwiches of Moroccan or zaatar chicken with pickled garlic mayonnaise. Desserts include almond chocolate or Arabic baklawa, cashew nut and pine seed baklawa flowers, traditional dates, and laban.
Photo: Emirates
Etihad’s offerings
At Etihad’s lounges in Abu Dhabi, Latest York, Washington DC, and London Heathrow, passengers are being offered laban, Vimto, karkade, date milk, hydrating cucumber refresher, and rose milk. Those that wish to interrupt their fast at these lounges can have warm harira soup and lobster machbous ravioli to chicken biryani. For dessert, guests can have authentic Ramadan treats with a contemporary twist, resembling Vimto cheesecake, rose and pistachio mahalabia and rangeena.
Photo: Nicolas Economou | Shutterstock
Premium travelers onboard Etihad planes are being given lentil soup with fried chaami cheese, lamb and date meatballs with saffron rice, and the classic warm umm ali dessert. Those searching for lighter options can go for an iftar salad.
Economy passengers can enjoy Arabic mezze, braised lamb with vermicelli rice, fried onion, and almond, and for dessert, they might be served Vimto mousse with khabeesa. Etihad guests who break their fast before landing are being given iftar bags decorated with traditional Emirati artwork, containing Laban, water, and dates.
Photo: Etihad
![An Emirates Airbus A380 taxiing at Dubai International Airport.](https://static1.simpleflyingimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/4-807140.jpg)
Can Muslim Pilots Observe Fasts During Ramadan?
On-duty Muslim pilots shouldn’t have to fast during Ramadan.
Qatar Airways is doing its bit in the course of the holy month by offering an additional 15kg baggage allowance freed from charge to passengers flying between Doha and Jeddah from March 15 to April 10.
Photo: Max Walter | Shutterstock
The carrier operates 35 weekly flights to Jeddah from its hub at Hamad International Airport, and its overall network in Saudi Arabia comprises 10 destinations – AlUla, Dammam, Qassim, Jeddah, Medina, Neom, Riyadh, Tabuk, Taif, and Yanbu.
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