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Emirates Expands A380 Global Network

The airline also plans to begin operating the A380 to South Korea in November 2009. Sydney and Auckland became the third and fourth destinations to join the airline’s A380 network. Richard Vaughan, Emirates’ Senior Vice-President, Commercial Operations, East Asia and Australasia said the A380 would add capacity which would benefit tourism authorities looking to attract an increased number of visitors from the Middle East.

Despite a challenging global economic environment, visitors from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) visiting Australia are expected to grow by 8 per cent this year and by 15 per cent in 2010, according to a forecast by the Tourism Australia Aviation and Economics Team.

Emirates carries over 50 per cent of all Gulf tourists visiting Australia.

“The growth in Emirates’ seat capacity by over 40 % is expected to encourage above-average growth of visitor arrivals and support both countries’ marketing efforts in the region,” said Mr Vaughan. In a move aimed at facilitating travel, New Zealand signed a visa-waiver agreement with the six member States of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Trade benefits will also accrue as the Middle East is a valuable market for New Zealand products including wool, dairy products, meat, manufactured goods and services. At the same time the region is an important source for New Zealand’s crude oil, polymers and fertilisers.

The route will operate three times a week and progress to a daily, effective 1st May 2009. The November start of A380 flights to Seoul’s Incheon International Airport follows an increase of trade of 150 per cent between South Korea and the UAE over the past five years to equal $16 billion dollars a year.

The Samsung Corporation is currently completing construction of the world’s tallest building, the Burj Dubai, which will open later this year. “In 2004 just 37,000* passengers a year travelled between Dubai and Seoul where as today it is over 260,000*,” the Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum said.

Emirates currently operates daily flights to Seoul operated by a Boeing 777.

The President and CEO of Incheon International Airport, CW Lee said: “We have made major investments worth USD 4 billion to prepare the airport for the A380 and we are very happy to be soon welcoming this important aircraft. The A380 flights follow the successful deployment of Emirates’ A380s to New York and
London.

Aircraft to Cut Fuel Burn and Emissions

The A380 is expected to cut fuel burn and emissions on flights as well as reduce journey time for passengers. The per seat fuel burn on the Emirates’ inaugural A380 flight is expected to be 20 percent less vis-à-vis the normal flights.

EK412 to Australia, the first commercial flight of an A380 over the Indian Ocean, is also the test flight for a longer-term green flight initiative involving the Air Navigation Service Providers of Australia, the UAE, Oman, India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives working with Emirates and other airlines to pioneer best environmental practice over the world’s third-largest oceanic region.

The programme will officially commence in the first half of 2009. Multi-government co-operation also helped create ultra-efficient flexible routings and minimise fuel burn.

business@khaleejtimes.com