Emirates adds more flights and cities to its network

Emirates, the Dubai-based international airline, has recently expanded its services to various cities in Europe, Middle East and Australia. One of the world’s fastest growing airlines, Emirates is also planning to more than double its current fleet of 51 aircraft by 2010 and has just announced a huge US$19 billion order for new aircraft, the largest order in civil aviation history, at the Paris Airshow last week.

BEIRUT - from seven to 10 weekly flights 

Responding to escalating demand, Emirates has launched three more flights per week to Beirut earlier this month, expanding its capacity to the capital city of Lebanon by 729 travellers per week. The additional flight schedules have been carefully worked out to offer passengers greater flexibility and choice. They operate on Mondays at 08:30, Wednesdays at 07:20 and Fridays at 17:00 hours.

As part of Emirates’ overall strategy for the Middle East, the increased frequency to Beirut follows closely on recently expanded services to other destinations in the region such as to Kuwait, Dammam, Doha, and Tehran.

MOSCOW - new destination from 1st July

Emirates will also start thrice-weekly services to Moscow from 1st July, offering a convenient connection from Singapore to the Russian capital, via Dubai.

Passengers will depart Singapore on a night flight that allows them to rest all the way to Dubai, arriving in the morning with time to freshen up and visit Dubai Airport’s famous duty free shopping. Thereafter, a convenient connecting flight from Dubai (only three hours transit) will bring them to  Moscow, arriving in Russia just after lunch on the same day.

On this new route, Emirates will operate its popular, modern Airbus A330-200 jets, with 18 First, 42 Business and 183 Economy class seats. Flights will land at Domodedovo airport, Russia’s largest and fastest-growing airport  with excellent road and rail links to the city.

MUSCAT - double daily from 1st July

Also on 1st July, the anniversary of its first flight to Muscat a decade ago to the day, Emirates will add another daily service to Muscat, capital city of Oman. This will offer passengers the convenience of travelling by day or at  night, the new service will leave Dubai at 2245 hours, arriving in Muscat at 2345 hours while the existing daily service leaves Dubai at 0815 hours.

AUCKLAND - new destination from 1st August

From 1st August, Emirates' daily flights to Sydney and Melbourne will be extended on to Auckland providing a total of 14 flights weekly in each direction.

Emirates’ daily flights to Brisbane, scheduled to start 26th October, will also be extended to Auckland, increasing Emirates' services across the Tasman Sea to 21 weekly. The airline has full traffic rights between Auckland and all three Australian gateways.

These new services follow the recent agreement on traffic rights between the governments of Australia and the UAE, which allows Emirates to operate with full traffic rights from all points in Australia. When Emirates introduces non-stop flights to Sydney on 26th October, travellers will have an unrivalled one-stop service between Dubai and New Zealand.

Emirates’ new services will offer passengers to Auckland a choice of departure times, varying with the three different gateways used. The flights will be operated with a Boeing 777-300 aircraft in three-class  configuration offering 18 First, 42 Business and 320 Economy seats plus cargo capacity of 17 to 20 tonnes.

LONDON GATWICK - 3rd daily service to begin 1st August 

Emirates is bringing forward its plans to expand flights to and from the UK due to fast-growing demand from customers. On 1st August, four months earlier than planned, the airline will launch a third daily service from Dubai to London Gatwick, giving customers maximum travel flexibility.

Three-class Airbus 330-200 aircraft will be used on the new Gatwick service, flight EK9, leaving Dubai at 1430 and landing at 1910. The return flights EK10 leave again for Dubai at 2115, landing at 0715 next morning.

Emirates already serves London Heathrow three times daily, and on 1st June the airline launched a second daily flight on its Dubai/Manchester route. It also flies daily between Dubai and Birmingham.