Emirates and Trenitalia, Italy’s national railway company have announced a new codeshare agreement which will enable Emirates’ customers to discover new destinations across Italy. With just one easy-to-book ticket, travellers will be able to fly on Emirates and reach some of Italy’s picturesque cities and towns using high speed, modern and comfortable trains that leave from Emirates’ four Italian gateways – Bologna, Milan, Rome and Venice. Customers can now start booking their codeshare trips via Emirates’ website and travel onwards to these destinations. “This codeshare agreement with Trenitalia opens up new possibilities for our customers and complements our current services to Bologna, Milan, Rome and Venice. With Trenitalia, travelling to the Far East from Foggia or to Padova from Sydney has never been easier. Emirates already flies more than 1.6 million passengers to and from Italy every year. With this codeshare agreement, we’re connecting Italian regions to our global network, significantly boosting the Italian tourism industry,” said Hubert Frach, Divisional Senior Vice President – Commercial Operations, West, Emirates.
Read More »Fly to Toronto five times a week with Emirates
Emirates has announced that it will introduce two additional flights to its Toronto (YYZ) service, complementing its existing schedule and providing more choice and convenience to travellers.The additional Toronto flights will be introduced from August 18, 2018 and will operate on a Saturday departing Dubai as EK241 at 03:30 and arrive in Toronto at 09:30. The return flight, EK242, leaves Toronto at 14:25 and arrives in Dubai at 11:40 the next day. On Sundays, EK241 will depart at 03:30 and arrive in Toronto at 09:30. The return flight, EK242, will leave Toronto at 14:30 and arrives in Dubai at 11:25 the next day. Both flights will be operated by the iconic Emirates A380 with private suites in First Class, lie flat seats in Business Class and spacious seats in Economy Class. Emirates recently celebrated 10 years of operations in Canada last October, demonstrating the airline’s ongoing commitment to the market. Over the past decade, Emirates introduced new aircraft on the route from a Boeing 777 in October 2007 to the flagship A380 in 2009. The A380 scheduled service increased passenger capacity on the Toronto service by 40% and since then, passenger occupancy on the route has been consistently full, averaging 90% with demand outstripping supply. The additional frequency will fulfil the strong demand on the route and add 65% capacity to the market. As of June 5, UAE nationals no longer need a visa to travel to Canada for short stays. Emirates also has established codeshare partnerships in Canada with WestJet and Alaska Airlines, connecting travellers from across its global network to more Canadian cities and vice-versa.
Read More »Emirates to launch daily flights between Dubai and Lyon, France, from August 2
Emirates has recently announced adding two more flights to Lyon, France, raising the frequency between the two cities to seven per week. Linking the two cities with daily flights is a big move and a powerful boost to the bilateral exchanges between the two nations. The attractiveness of Lyon as a metropole is thus stronger than ever and the partner cities are boosting their close relationship. “Daily air links towards Dubai is an excellent news for both Lyon Airports and the Metropole of Lyon. Now, more than ever, travel is becoming more flexible with optimum transit between Lyon, the Middle East and Asia. Thanks to those daily flights, Lyon is becoming a valuable international hub.” says David Kimelfeld, President, Metropole of Lyon. Flights from Lyon to Dubai will increase to seven flights per week, from August 2nd 2018, boosting the ever-strengthening ties with Dubai, initiated over the past years. The increasing frequency of flights also helps raise awareness towards economic players and partners of OnlyLyon who have invested in the promotion of Lyon as a destination. The cooperation agreement with the City of Dubai, signed in 2006, aimed to boost exchanges between the two communities in diverse fields, ranging from urban transit, public lighting, services to individuals, smart cities and mobility. In 2017, a cooperation agreement was signed between the Metropole of Lyon and the Road and Transport Authority of Dubai (RTA). .
Read More »Emirates and flydubai offer seamless travel to Zagreb this winter
Emirates and flydubai have announced that flights between Dubai and Zagreb in Croatia will be operated by flydubai from December 2018 to March 30 next year after which flights will be operated by Emirates. The move will ensure that capacity is deployed to best serve customer demand by maximising the frequency for passengers during the winter season. This further illustrates the passenger benefits of the strategic partnership between the two Dubai-based airlines. During this period, flight FZ1793 will depart from Dubai at 10:00 and arrive in Zagreb at 13:15 local time. The return flight FZ1794 will depart from Zagreb at 14:30 and arrive in Dubai at 23:00. flydubai will operate the route with its new Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, which offers customers an enhanced travel experience including lie-flat seats in Business Class, the latest Economy Class seating, in-flight entertainment via HD touchscreens and Boeing’s innovative Sky Interior throughout the cabin. Emirates and flydubai will continue to offer a travel experience reflective of each other’s brand. flydubai’s Zagreb flights will operate from Terminal 3 at Dubai International (DXB), allowing seamless connections for passengers flying Emirates to Dubai’s ultra-modern airport.
Read More »Emirates announces A380 aircraft to Accra, Ghana for new terminal opening
Emirates A380 aircraft will operate a one-off flight to Kotoka International Airport (ACC), Accra, Ghana on Tuesday October 2, as the global airline joins local authorities in celebrating the opening of the airport’s new Terminal 3. The airline’s flagship double-decker will become the first-ever scheduled A380 service to Ghana, with Emirates partnering with the airport to test its operations and infrastructure to accommodate an A380 service. The one-off A380 flight EK787 from Dubai, will arrive at 11:35 hours and be on ground for more than six hours before it returns to Dubai as flight EK788 departing at 17:50 hours. “We have enjoyed a close relationship with Ghana as a strategic hub to West Africa for over a decade, and are honoured to bring our flagship A380 to this vibrant city. The launch of Terminal 3 is a milestone in Ghana’s aviation history and we support every effort to facilitate greater trade links, grow tourism and boost cargo to the region. Our customers are at the heart of everything we do, and our trademark A380 experience is very popular with our customers including Ghanaians who have flown on it to popular destinations like London, Beijing and Guangzhou. We take great pride in showcasing our unique products and services on this aircraft such as the Onboard Lounge and Shower Spa, to travellers between Dubai and Ghana for the first time,” said Orhan Abbas, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations – Africa.
Read More »Emirates adds flights to Paris, Lyon
Emirates has announced that it will introduce two additional flights to Lyon and one to Paris per week, complementing its existing schedule and providing more choice and convenience to travellers. The increase in frequency from five to seven between Lyon and Dubai will see the route become a daily service, while the extra flight to Paris brings to 21 the number of flights per week to the French capital, offering travellers three flights per day. The Lyon flights will start on August 2, 2018, and will operate on a Tuesday and Thursday at the same time as the current flights, which depart Dubai as EK081 at 1435hrs and arrive in Lyon at 1930hrs. The return flight, EK082, leaves Lyon at 2155hrs and arrives in Dubai at 0615hrs the next day. Both flights will be operated by an Emirates Boeing 777-300ER in a three class cabin configuration, with eight private suites in First Class, 42 lie-flat seats in Business Class and 304 spacious seats in Economy Class. The additional Paris flight will start on August 7, 2018, and will operate as the third daily every Tuesday morning. Flight EK071 will depart Dubai at 0405hrs and arrive in Paris at 0925hrs, while the return flight leaves Paris at 1125hrs and arrives back in Dubai at 2000hrs. As with Emirates other flights between Dubai and Paris, the airline’s flagship A380 will be used on the route. It will also have a three class cabin configuration, with 14 privates suites in First Class, 76 lie flat seats in Business Class and 429 seats in Economy Class.
Read More »Emirates unveils new lounge in Cairo airport
Emirates has opened its new dedicated lounge at Cairo International Airport which is now open to Emirates First Class and Business Class customers as well as Platinum and Gold members of Skywards, the airline’s loyalty programme. Reflecting the airline’s ongoing commitment to Egypt, the Emirates Lounge in Cairo represents a US$ 3.6 million investment to provide premium customers with a seamless and enjoyable journey. Catering to three daily flights, the lounge offers customers even greater levels of comfort, hospitality and convenience as they start their Emirates experience in Cairo. Located at Departure Terminal 2, Level 2, above the secondary security check & Duty Free area, Emirates’ customers can look forward to relaxing, unwinding and enjoying award-winning service and cuisine. The lounge was formally opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Eng. Ahmed Youssef, Chairman of the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Board; Mohammed H Mattar, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President – Emirates Airport Services; Thani Al Ansari, Country Manager, Egypt, Emirates. The opening was also attended by Montaser Manaa, Civil Aviation Authority VP and Khaled Abdel Monem, Chairman of Central Air Transport Administration. The interior design in the Emirates Lounge reflects a new contemporary and fresh design. The Lounge offers seating for up to 152 customers, covering an area of 880sq.m. The lounge will provides premium passengers with a relaxing ambiance, luxurious facilities and amenities, LED TVs, comfortable leather armchairs, a choice of formal and relaxed seating, bespoke artwork, and separate male and female prayer rooms.
Read More »flydubai flights to relocate to Terminal 3 from December 2018
Following the announcement of the partnership last year between Emirates and flydubai, it was recently announced that flydubai flights to 10 of its destinations will move from its current operating base of Terminal 2 and relocate to Terminal 3 at Dubai International (DXB). Other services will continue to operate from Terminal 2, Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central (DWC). His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of flydubai, said, “Last July, we announced the extensive codeshare partnership which has seen Emirates and flydubai work closely together to offer customers unmatched opportunities to travel. As part of this next phase flights to 10 flydubai destinations will operate from Terminal 3 optimising connectivity for their passengers from the world’s busiest airport.” From December 2, 2018, flights to Belgrade, Bishkek, Bucharest, Catania, Dushanbe, Helsinki, Krakow, Prague, Rostov-on-Don and Salalah will operate from Terminal 3, Dubai International. Flights to these destinations before December 2, will continue to operate from Terminal 2. Passengers booked to travel to these destinations will be able to check-in for their flight at the Business Class and Economy Class desks in the departures area of Terminal 3. Business Class passengers will be able to use fast track on the ground and enjoy other Business Class services, whilst transiting passengers will have a smooth and quick transit time. Destinations have been chosen to help improve the connection between Emirates and flydubai. Further flights operating from Terminal 3 will be added in the summer schedule in 2019.
Read More »Emirates launches five times-a-week service to Santiago in Chile
Emirates has launched a new, five times-a-week service from Dubai (DXB) to Santiago International Airport (SCL), via the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo (GRU), marking the airline’s first arrival in Chile. On board the inaugural Boeing 777-200LR flight, which was welcomed at both Sao Paulo and Santiago airports with a water cannon salute, was a group of special guests and media. Hubert Frach, Emirates Divisional Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, West said, “We are very pleased to see the interest this new route has created since it was announced in late January, reflected in strong bookings from and to Santiago. Santiago is a very popular leisure and business destination, and this new service will offer customers across our global network, particularly from key inbound markets such the Far East, Middle East and West Asia, a great travel option to South America. The new service will also give travellers from Chile the opportunity to experience Emirates’ superior product and service, and offer them more convenient travel options with Emirates to Sao Paulo, Dubai and onward to destinations across our network,”. “The arrival of Emirates in Chile is an important symbol of trust and confidence in the country, to our authorities and to how Groupe ADP, VINCI Airports and Astaldi Concessioni, through Nuevo Pudahuel, are setting a new standard of service at Arturo Merino Benítez Airport”, said Nicolas Claude, CEO Nuevo Pudahuel.
Read More »Emirates initiates virtual reality technology on emirates.com
Introducing 3D seat models on emirates.com, Emirates has becoming the first airline to introduce web virtual reality (VR) technology on its digital platform. The 3D seat model is a visualisation engine that displays an immersive 3D 360 degree view of the interior of the Emirates A380 and the Emirates Boeing 777, giving customers a chance to explore their seats, the spacious cabin and the Emirates onboard product. This new feature available on emirates.com allows users to navigate through the Economy, Business and First Class cabins, as well as the iconic Onboard Lounge and Shower Spa on the Emirates A380 using navigational hotspots. Alex Knigge, Senior Vice President -Corporate Communications, Marketing and Brand (Digital), Emirates said, “As we continually invest to provide our customers with an unmatched travel experience onboard and on the ground, we also work very hard to give our customers a world-class digital experience. We are pleased to be the world’s first airline to introduce this cutting-edge web VR technology.” The high-quality 3D generated graphics offer an outstanding render that is close to reality. Customers accessing emirates.com via their mobile devices or the Emirates app for iOS and Android will also be able to explore their seats before checking in online with the 3D seat map.
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