Emirates Airline has stepped up its presence in Australia with the introduction of a second daily service to Brisbane and a third daily service to Melbourne, with immediate effect. The additional services represent yet another initiative in the Emirates-Australia partnership.
Closely following the launch of Emirates’ A380 service to Sydney on 1 February, the two new services to Brisbane and Melbourne will operate non-stop and escalate the airline’s weekly capacity to 63 flights to four Australian gateways.
Operated by the ultra-modern A340-500 aircraft in a three-class configuration that includes 12 luxurious first class private suites, 42 seats in business class and generous space for 204 passengers in economy class, the additional flights will introduce over 3600 seats per week per direction, and contribute significantly to economic and tourism growth in Australia.
In its last annual study, Melbourne Airport reported close to five million international passengers. The airport authorities hope to boost this figure as Emirates’ expansion will facilitate growth in arrivals from Europe – a key tourism market. Emirates has a large European network spanning 22 cities and has been actively promoting Australia in the continent through multi-channel publicity initiatives.
Emirates’ commitment to Melbourne and Brisbane spans a range of sponsorships, notably The Melbourne Cup, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Collingwood Football Club and the PGA in Coolum, Queensland.
The airline’s dedication to the market is also reflected in its world-leading facilities that include the recently-launched Emirates Lounge at Brisbane Airport which offers a stunning 360 degree view of the airport and is the first airline lounge in Australia capable of boarding passengers directly from the lounge to the aircraft. The airline also offers passengers access to Emirates Lounges in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth.
Emirates SkyCargo, provides efficient and cost-effective connections to every continent on the globe and is a valued partner for many Australian businesses. Primary cargo shipments include chilled meat, seasonal fruits and vegetables, computer equipment, manufactured goods, personal effects and aircraft parts. The expansion will add 200 more tonnes of cargo-carrying capacity on the Brisbane and Melbourne routes.
EK 408 will depart Dubai daily at 2.30am and arrive in Melbourne at 10.55pm. It will turn around as EK 409 that departs Melbourne at 2.55am the following day and touches down at the airline’s new home – Emirates Terminal 3, Dubai International Airport – at 10.10am.
EK 434 will depart Dubai daily at 10.20am, arriving in Brisbane at 6.35am the following day. Return flight EK 435 will take off from Brisbane at 8.30am and touch down in Dubai at 5.30am the following day.
Emirates operates daily flights from Dubai to Malta with a stopover in Larnaca, Cyprus. The Malta route gives a convenient connection to outgoing and incoming passengers from Australia and the Far East. For flight details and information on bookings and fares, please visit www.emirates.com.