dnata
{{Short description|Subsidiary of Emirates Group}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{lowercase title}}
{{Infobox company
|name = dnata
|logo = dnata logo.svg
|vector_logo =
|type = State-owned, Private
|genre =
|foundation = {{Start date and age|1959||}}
Dubai{{cite web|url=http://mediacentre.ekgroup.com/home.asp?TYPE=FACTS|title=Emirates Group Media Center :: Fact Files|website=Mediacentre.ekgroup.com|access-date=2007-06-03|archive-date=25 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225114932/http://www.theemiratesgroup.com/home.asp?TYPE=FACTS|url-status=dead}}
|location_city = Dubai
|location_country = United Arab Emirates
|location = Emirates Group Headquarters, Al Garhoud
|origins =
|key_people = {{Unbulleted_list|Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum
{{small|(Chairman & CEO)}}|Steve Allen
{{small|(Executive Vice President)}}}}
|industry = Ground Handling Industry
|products = Aviation Services
|revenue =
|operating_income =
|net_income =
|num_employees =
|parent = The Emirates Group
|subsid =
|owner = Investment Corporation of Dubai
|caption =
|homepage = http://dnata.com
|dissolved =
|footnotes =
}}
Dubai National Air Travel Agency ({{langx|ar|دناتا}}) (commonly known as dnata) is an Emirati airport services provider which provides aircraft ground handling, cargo, travel, and flight catering services across five continents.
History
The company dnata was established 1959 in Dubai with five employees. The name originates as an acronym for Dubai National Air Travel Agency. The company has grown significantly with the first international expansion seen in 1993.{{cite web |url=http://mediacentre.ekgroup.com/home.asp?TYPE=FACTS |title=The Emirates Group Annual Reports, Facts and Figures |publisher=Mediacentre.ekgroup.com |date=2012-05-13 |access-date=2012-10-14 |archive-date=25 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225114932/http://www.theemiratesgroup.com/home.asp?TYPE=FACTS |url-status=dead }}
In 2008, the company acquired a 23 percent share in the travel company Hogg Robinson Group (HRG) and a 49 percent share of the global outsource provider Mind Pearl.
In 2010, dnata acquired Alpha Flight Limited, expanding the company to cover 62 airports in 12 countries. The next year, the company opened offices in India, offering air travel, hotel, and visa services for travellers between India and Dubai.{{cite web |title=dnata in India |url=https://www.dnata.com/en/global-network/india |publisher=Dnata.com |access-date=23 May 2021}}{{cite web |title=Dnata announces acquisition of Alpha Flight Group Ltd |url=https://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/dnata-announces-acquisition-of-alpha-flight-group-ltd/ |publisher=breakingtravelnews.com |date=11 October 2010| access-date=1 April 2024}}
In 2015, dnata acquired RM Ground Services in Brazil. The acquisition allowed dnata to provide international airports with outsourced aircraft ground handling, cargo transport, and airline meal catering.{{cite web |title=Dubai's dnata buys stake in Brazil airport services firm |url=https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/dubais-dnata-buys-stake-brazil-133632026.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAAgqpXP6KdvtdDPBFSEgFckIErHVaJTTNWGsJJT36Qrw9T3SyUVd3mQUXMH-cJpOhAIDxpp_2L-qPl4KdceaTuxlcwrrCcc25KZBfWkDiAuTzCAAwDXOqrIMS9cf-t92f-qq4PA1dIltidTi_3I6jfDChCRrBa-VzYtByW0zi2oD |publisher= yahoo finance |date=25 November 2015| access-date=1 April 2024}}
In February 2018, dnata co-founded the Airline Catering Association, which is based in Brussels, Belgium.{{cite web |author=|title= Airline-Caterer gründen Interessensvertretung|url=http://www.austrianaviation.net/detail/airline-caterer-gruenden-interessensvertretung/|publisher=Austrainavaiation.net|access-date=2018-02-13}}
Controversy
In 2019, a dnata employee and others were arrested while they were taking drugs off a plane at Sydney Airport. AFP and Border Force officers swooped and arrested them.{{Cite web |last=Ransley |first=Ellen |date=12 June 2021 |title=Two charged following Sydney Airport drug trafficking investigation |url=https://www.news.com.au/national/crime/two-charged-following-sydney-airport-drug-trafficking-investigation/news-story/5b4a3c53d09764040ba8214ffdd11021 |access-date=10 March 2024 |website=News.com.au}}
In 2021, six dnata baggage handlers and other people were arrested after they planned to bring drugs into Sydney Airport.{{Cite news |date=2021-10-15 |title=Six ground handling staff charged with attempt to import drugs into Sydney Airport |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-15/nsw-airport-drug-sting/100542558 |access-date=2024-03-10 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}
Ground handling
In 2018 the company dnata employed over 41,000 people who provided services for 129 airports in 84 countries on six continents. The customer base of dnata consisted of more than 300 airlines and annual revenue amounted to USD 3.6 billion.{{cite web|url=https://www.traveldailymedia.com/dnata-celebrates-25-years/ |author=Tian Tolentino |title=dnata celebrates 25 years and USD 3.6bn revenues in 2018 |publisher=traveldailymedia.com |date= 16 July 2018 |access-date=1 April 2024}}
- Germany: Cologne
- Australia: Adelaide, Darwin, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Sydney (formerly a joint venture with Toll Holdings{{cite web|url=http://www.tolldnata.com/index.htm|title=TAS - Toll Air Services - Airline Ground Handling Partners Australia-Wide|publisher=Tolldnata.com|access-date=2010-11-14}})
- Belgium: Brussels
- Brazil: Aracaju, Belém, Brasília, Boa Vista, Campina Grande, Curitiba, Florianópolis, Fortaleza, Ilhéus, Juazeiro do Norte, Joao Pessoa, Manaus, Macapá, Maceió, Natal, Petrolina, Porto Alegre, Porto Seguro, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, São Luis, Salvador, Santarém, São Paulo-Campinas, São Paulo-Guarulhos and Teresina
- Canada: Toronto (joint venture with GTA: dnata GTA)
- China: Guangzhou and Xi'an
- Czech Republic: Prague
- Ireland: Dublin
- Italy: Milan Linate, Milan Malpensa (joint venture with Airport Handling), Trapani
- Iraq: Erbil
- The Netherlands: Amsterdam
- Pakistan: Karachi, Islamabad, Peshawar, Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, and Quetta (joint venture with Gerrys: Gerrys dnata)
- Philippines: Manila, Clark and Cebu
- Romania: Bucharest
- Singapore: Singapore Changi
- South Sudan: Juba
- Switzerland: Geneva and Zurich
- United Kingdom: London Heathrow, Manchester, Gatwick, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Glasgow, East Midlands and Newcastle
- United States: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago O'Hare, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Detroit, El Paso, Grand Rapids, Houston, Indianapolis, Laredo, Los Angeles, Lubbock, McAllen, Milwaukee, Newark, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, Sanford, Tampa, Washington Dulles and Wichita
IT services
Mercator has been the information technology arm of dnata providing technology and services to the aviation industry worldwide.{{cite web |url=http://mercator.com/Home/default.aspx |title=Airline IT solutions |publisher=Mercator.com |date=2012-09-27 |access-date=2012-10-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110202202629/http://www.mercator.com/home/default.aspx |archive-date=2 February 2011 |url-status=dead }} In 2014 Warburg Pincus, a private equity firm, acquired the majority stake of Mercator and merged it with Accelya in 2017. The combined company operating under the Accelya brand has 2,800 employees and serves 400 clients worldwide.{{cite news |title=Warburg Pincus buys majority stake in Emirates' aviation tech firm |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/emirates-mercator/warburg-pincus-buys-majority-stake-in-emirates-aviation-tech-firm-idUSL6N0N00SC20140408 |access-date=23 February 2019 |publisher=Reuters.com |date=8 April 2014 }}{{cite news |last1=Muir |first1=James |title=Accelya and Mercator to operate under the Accelya brand name |url=https://www.aircargoweek.com/accelya-mercator-operate-accelya-brand/ |access-date=23 February 2019 |publisher=Aircargoweek.com |date=19 September 2017}}
Cargo
Functioning as the cargo handling operator for the Dubai International Airport Cargo Gateway, cargo services are provided both regionally and internationally at their overseas airports, handling over 3 million tons of cargo annually. In 1991, the online communication portal Calogi was set up for the cargo industry. The first of its kind in the region, the portal allowed airlines, shippers, freight forwarders, and ground handling agents to conduct business anywhere in the world.{{cite web|url=http://www.calogi.com/calogi/app |title=Welcome to Calogi |publisher=Calogi.com |access-date=2012-10-14}}
Travel
dnata Travel provides assistance in the areas of corporate and government travel, luxury holidays, events, groups and incentives, retail and marine travel. There are 202 locations across the GCC with operational presence in Afghanistan, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. dnata Travel is also the regional managing partner for the Hogg Robinson Group in the Middle East and West Asia.
In the United Kingdom dnata Travel owns and operates a number of travel brands these include the Gold Medal Travel Group which includes Pure Luxury, Cruise Plus and Incredible Journey's these brands operate in the business-to-business market selling through travel agencies across the UK. Selling directly to consumers dnata Travel own and operate the Travelbag, Travel Republic and Netflights brands.
Flight catering
Through the acquisition of Alpha Flight Limited in 2010, dnata operates an international flight catering service across 62 airports and 12 countries. With an annual turnover of £360 million STG (AED2.3 billion) in 2010, the company serves 120,000 meals on a daily basis.{{cite web |url=http://www.dnata.com/english/about-dnata/news/news-details.aspx?article=609463&offset=2 |title=Announces Acquisition of Alpha Flight Group Ltd | News | About |website=Dnata.com |date=2010-12-31 |access-date=2012-10-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706093748/http://www.dnata.com/english/about-dnata/news/news-details.aspx?article=609463&offset=2 |archive-date=6 July 2011 |url-status=dead }}
Travel Republic
{{Infobox company
| name = Travel Republic
| founded = {{Start date and age|2003||}}
| founder = {{Unbulleted_list|Chris Waite|Paul Furner|Peter Furner{{cite web|title=TravelRepublic tops Fast Track 100|url=http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/btn20071204121710319|website=Breakingtravelnews.com|date=4 December 2007}}|Kane Pirie}}
| owner = The Emirates Group, DNATA
| hq_location_city = Kingston upon Thames
| hq_location_country = UK
| area_served = United Kingdom
| industry = Travel
| products = {{Bulleted_list|Holidays|Flights|Hotels}}
| services = Travel Agency
| website = {{URL|https://www.travelrepublic.co.uk}}
}}
Travel Republic Limited is an online travel agency founded in the United Kingdom and launched in 2003. Travel Republic is owned by the air services provider, dnata World Travel, which is a part of the Emirates Group.{{cite web|title=TRAVEL REPUBLIC LTD - Overview (free company information from Companies House)|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/04853546|website=Beta.companieshouse.gov.uk|language=en}}
=History=
Travel Republic was founded in 2003 by university students Chris Waite, Paul Furner, Kane Pirie{{cite web|title=Travel Republic Sold|url=http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/articles/39180/travel-republic-sold|website=Travel Weekly}} and travel agent Peter Furner.{{cite web|title=Travel Republic is the UK's Fastest Growing Privately Owned Company|url=https://www.investegate.co.uk/travel-republic-ltd/prn/travel-republic-is-the-uk-s-fastest-growing-pri---/20071205113900NU525/|website=Investigate.co.uk|date=5 December 2007}} They desired to create a website where customers could book accommodation, flights, car transfers and airport parking in one place. The company specialises in enabling users to build their own holiday experience by combining different elements from the Travel Republic site.{{cite web|title=10 Best Last-Minute Travel Websites|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/the-10-best-last-minute-travel-websites-8786559.html|website=Independent.co.uk|date=3 December 2018}}{{cite web|title=The 10 best websites for booking a city break|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/city-breaks/the-best-websites-to-book-a-city-break/|website=Telegraph.co.uk}}
Travel Republic is a travel search website acting as an agent only. The company is a member of ABTA{{cite web|title=Travel Advice & Holiday Information - ABTA|url=https://abta.com/find-a-member/results?term=43805#results%20Travel%20Republic%20ABTA%20Membership%20(43805)|website=Abta.com|language=en}} and holds an ATOL License.{{cite web|title=Check an ATOL Search Results|url=http://publicapps.caa.co.uk/modalapplication.aspx?catid=1&pagetype=65&appid=2&mode=detail&atolNbr=10581&mbrId=|website=Publicapps.caa.co.uk|language=en}}
In January 2007, the company moved to its current headquarters in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey. In the same year the company had an annual sales growth of 284.2% and topped the charts of The Sunday Times Virgin Atlantic Fast Track 100.{{cite web|title=TravelRepublic.co.uk tops the Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100 list|url=https://www.traveldailynews.com/post/travelrepublic.co.uk-tops-the-sunday-times-virgin-fast-track-100-list-23644|website=Traveldailynews.com}}
In December 2011 the company was bought by Dnata World Travel which is a subsidiary of the Emirates Group, based in Dubai.{{cite web|title=Dnata Acquires Travel Republic - ITTN|url=https://www.ittn.ie/news/dnata-acquires-travel-republic/|website=Ittn.ie|date=7 January 2012}}
In December 2015 Travel Republic launched a cruise service in partnership with Imagine Cruising.{{cite web|title=Travel Republic creates cruise offering|url=https://www.ttgmedia.com/news/news/travel-republic-creates-cruise-offering-1827|website=Ttgmedia.com|language=En}}
In July 2018 Dnata appointed Frank Rejwan (formerly of Abercrombie & Kent, Quintessentially and Ickenham Travel Group) as Managing Director for Travel Republic.{{Cite web|url=http://travelweekly.co.uk/articles/308354/dnata-appoints-new-md-for-travel-republic|title=Dnata appoints new MD for Travel Republic|first=Jacobs Media Group|last=Ltd|website=Travelweekly.co.uk|access-date=27 January 2022}}
= Operations and technology =
In January 2012, Travel Republic first introduced its mobile website, before expanding into mobile app on IOS in 2014. In 2015 the Android version of the app was launched.
The company aired its first YouTube ad on 17 January 2011.{{cite web|last1=Republic|first1=Travel|title=Travel Republic Launches First Ever TV Campaign|url=http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/travel-republic-launches-first-ever-tv-campaign-156050265.html|website=Prnewswire.co.uk}} Their first television campaign 'The Last Click' aired in June 2014.{{cite web|title=Making Travel Republic the Last Click for holidays|url=http://www.antidote.co.uk/work/making-travel-republic-the-last-click-for-holidays/|website=Antidote.co.uk|date=16 June 2014}} With its success, Travel Republic continued to launch TV advertising campaigns. 'Welcome to the Travel Republic' was launched in January 2016{{cite web|title=Travel Republic creates national anthem for TV campaign|url=https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/travel-republic-creates-national-anthem-tv-campaign/1379268|website=Campaignlive.co.uk}} before the latest campaign aired in December 2016 across UK and Ireland.{{cite web|title=Travel Republic TV Advert 2017|url=https://commercial-song.net/2016/12/travel-republic-tv-advert-2017/|website=Commercial-song.net|date=28 December 2016}} The campaign highlighted Travel Republic's slogan, 'Yours for the making'.
=Controversy=
In a case brought by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Travel Republic was accused of breaching ATOL regulations by selling unlicensed package holidays. Judge Nicholas Evans delivered the not-guilty verdict at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 10 November 2009.{{Cite web |title=Travel Republic vs CAA Court Ruling |url=http://travellawquarterly.co.uk/images/uploads/engcases/CAA_v_Travel_Republic_Ltd.pdf |access-date=27 January 2022 |website=Travellawquarterly.co.uk}}{{Dead url|date=July 2024}} In his judgement, Evans said the prosecution had failed to prove that Travel Republic did anything other than "sell components of holidays separately, but at the same time".{{Cite web|url=http://travelweekly.co.uk/articles/32375/travel-republic-victory-reaction-from-the-trade|title=Travel Republic victory: Reaction from the trade|website=Travelweekly.co.uk|access-date=27 January 2022}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.abta.com/news|title=Travel Industry News|website=Abta.com|access-date=27 January 2022}}
See also
{{Portalbar|United Arab Emirates|Companies}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Emirates Airlines}}
{{Airline catering companies}}
Category:Aircraft ground handling companies
Category:Companies based in Dubai
Category:Transport organisations in Dubai
Category:Foodservice companies
Category:Food and drink companies of the United Arab Emirates