From triple-decker plane to mid-air weddings: How Dubai’s Emirates airline pranked residents on April Fool’s through the years

From triple-decker plane to mid-air weddings: How Dubai’s Emirates airline pranked residents on April Fool’s through the years

Still can't get over Emirates Sealine? Here's a throwback to some of the airline's April 1 marketing stunts that had impressed — and confused — people through the years

Published: Sat 1 Apr 2023, 5:25 PM

Emirates does it every year, yet somehow many residents still fall for the airline's April Fool's Day pranks every time. On Saturday, Dubai's flagship carrier created quite a stir online when it announced that after conquering the skies, it is now 'taking over the seas' with the launch of its 'sea line'.

In a video that showed an ultra-luxurious cruise liner sailing past the Atlantis, the brand introduced its maritime arm Emirates Sealine, which promised passengers "top-tier and never-before-imagined experiences as they voyage to rarely-before-seen ports of call”. The only catch? It was an elaborate April Fool’s prank.

Emirates revealed that "itineraries and bookings will be open from June 31" and that the "first cruise would flag off to Karachi from Dubai Harbour on 01 April 2024" — making it clear to those who could read between the lines that it was nothing but a joke.

The announcement even included a quote from Captain Jack Shallow, the newly appointed chief maritime officer at the helm of Emirates Sealine —