Emirates has carried 13.2 million passengers on nearly 50,000 flights between Dubai and Cairo over 40 years, the airline reported on October 25.

Services began in April 1986 with three weekly flights. The route now has five daily flights operated by Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft.

Freight has become another part of the operation. Over the past five years, Emirates SkyCargo carried more than 170,000 tonnes of Egyptian imports and exports using passenger aircraft belly capacity.