On October 25, 1989, KLM, the Royal Dutch Airline, honored Dubai by naming its latest Boeing 747-400 aircraft ‘City of Dubai’ in recognition of the emirate’s rising status as an international aviation hub.
The naming took place during an elaborate ceremony at Schiphol Airport’s hangar, coinciding with the fourth anniversary of Emirates airline. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of Emirates and head of Dubai’s civil aviation department, officially baptized the jumbo jet alongside KLM’s president, Jan de Soet. Sheikh Ahmed remarked that naming the aircraft after Dubai was a “great honour done to us.” He added, “One day when Emirates grows to the size of KLM, we will reciprocate the gesture and name one of our planes City of Amsterdam.”
The ‘City of Dubai’ was set to operate on the trans-Atlantic route and later on the Amsterdam-Tokyo sector. During the ceremony, de Soet gifted Sheikh Ahmed a replica of the ‘City of Dubai’ after unveiling the aircraft’s name. In return, Sheikh Ahmed presented de Soet with a ‘khanjaar,’ a traditional Arab dagger made of silver and inlaid with gold.
Dubai Vibes at Schiphol
The baptism ceremony transformed Schiphol Airport’s hangar into a reflection of Dubai, featuring a performance by a 20-member troupe from the Dubai Folklore Society, showcasing the traditional ‘ayyala’ dance. Dressed in spotless white national attire with red and white headgear, the performers swayed to the sounds of the Arab version of the ‘tanpura,’ a classical music instrument.
As H.F.A. Hemmer, KLM’s general manager for Gulf states, described the atmosphere, the ‘Dubai environment’ was further enriched when members of the folklore group distributed dates and served gahwa, the traditional coffee, to the guests. Airport employees paused their work to gather around the hangar.
Sheikh Ahmed was also appointed as a skipper of the World Society of the Flying Dutchman during the event, a nomination he regarded as another “great honour.” This society recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to civil aviation or national airlines.
Reflecting on Emirates’ fourth anniversary, Sheikh Ahmed informed Khaleej Times that the airline planned to expand its routes to Singapore, Manila, and Bangkok by mid-1990, along with regular services to Manchester, in addition to London’s Gatwick.
Sheikh Ahmed viewed KLM’s gesture of naming the new aircraft after Dubai as an acknowledgment of the advantages Dubai has provided for the airline. He praised the collaboration between Dubai and the Dutch airline, stating, “It is good to have friends we can learn from.”
Fast forward to today, Emirates boasts a fleet of 259 aircraft, including 248 passenger planes and 11 freighters, flying to 144 destinations across 78 countries and territories.
