Emirates Revives Airline City-Centre Ticket Office with Opening of New London Store
The airline city-centre ticket offices of the past are experiencing a revival as Emirates recently unveiled a luxurious new store in London. In the 20th century, most major airlines had physical shops in key cities they served, offering a convenient way for customers to purchase tickets. However, with the rise of online booking, these ticket offices gradually disappeared. British Airways, for instance, shut down its flagship Regent Street location in central London in the early 2000s.
Fast forward two decades, Emirates has introduced a high-end store in Kensington, west London, where potential passengers can browse posh seats, buy merchandise, and of course, book their flights. Located at the corner of Gloucester Road and Cromwell Road, the Emirates World Travel Store boasts a classy interior reflecting the airline’s signature cream-and-champagne colour scheme, along with the distinctive ghat tree motif symbolising the UAE’s national tree.
While traditional ticket desks are present, the store offers a more upscale ambiance resembling an executive lounge or showroom. Visitors can marvel at premium-economy and business-class seating displays, including a full-scale model of the elaborate first-class suite and the renowned A380 Shower Spa available on select flights. Although e-ticketing has replaced paper tickets, customers can still indulge in purchasing Emirates-branded merchandise like aircraft models, exclusive accessories, and collectable towels from events like Wimbledon 2024.
Although the vast majority of Emirates passengers won’t visit this ticket office, it caters primarily to high-spending travellers seeking a personalised experience. Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ deputy president and chief commercial officer, views the London store as a symbol of the airline’s longstanding commitment to the UK market, which has been a crucial hub for the airline since its inception 37 years ago.
In a highly competitive aviation landscape, Emirates aims to differentiate itself by extending its brand presence to major cities worldwide, including London, Paris, Rome, and Hong Kong. This strategic move comes amidst fierce competition from Gulf rivals like Etihad and Qatar Airways, both of which have significantly expanded their operations in recent years. Qatar Airways, for example, now operates more daily flights from London Heathrow to Doha than Emirates to Dubai, despite the latter using larger aircraft to accommodate more passengers.
Emirates’ decision to open a city-centre store in London underscores its commitment to enhancing customer engagement, providing a unique retail experience, and reinforcing brand loyalty in a dynamic and evolving industry.