The ties between Malta and the Maltese Community in the Australian city of Perth are now being further strengthened following Emirates’ eagerly-awaited second daily service between Dubai and Perth. Initially, the service will be launched with four weekly flights starting from 2 March, which will be increased to a daily in the following September. Tim Clark, the president of Emirates Airline, said: “Strong and steady demand for Emirates’ passenger and cargo services has motivated us to increase our flights to Perth. It signals our commitment and confidence in the growth of the Australian market, particularly that of Western Australia. Emirates’ additional services are widely expected to bring greater access and facilitate more traffic flows between Western Australia and key markets in Europe and the Middle East.”

Emirates launched non-stop services to Perth in August 2002 with four weekly flights, commencing dailies in May 2003. The airline’s Dubai-Perth flight was the first ever non-stop connection between the Middle East and Australia.

From Perth, Emirates SkyCargo’s services have boosted exports of chilled meat, fresh products, flowers, and seafood. To Perth, the cargo division carries mining equipment, car parts, telecommunications equipment, and smaller-sized electronic items from Europe and the Middle East. The double daily service will boost Emirates SkyCargo’s capacity to more than 180 tonnes per week.

At present, Maltese travellers to Australia have a choice of 42 weekly Emirates passenger services from Dubai to the largest island on earth, as Australia is sometimes described. These include 14 flights per week to Sydney and Melbourne and seven per week to Brisbane and Perth.

The route will be served by Emirates’ Airbus A340-300 aircraft with 267 seats configured in three classes – with 12 seats in First, 42 in Business and 213 in Economy – and offering 13 tonnes of cargo capacity. From 2 September the service will become a second daily which will be operated by a Boeing 777-200 with 290 seats – 12 seats in First, 42 in Business and 236 in Economy class – and 18 tonnes of cargo capacity.

From 2 March, the Emirates Airbus A340-300 will fly every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday to Perth. Return flights will depart from Perth on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

From Malta to Dubai, Emirates operates four flights a week with a stopover in Larnaca, Cyprus, every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday on A330-200.