The Hindu Business Line : Emirates starts services to Kolkata, Addis Ababa

Expansion plans
Emirates flies to seven cities in India served by 63 weekly flights.
To launch eight flights a week to Bangalore from October 29.
Plans to fly to Beijing and Nagoya this year.

Abu Dhabi , March 28

Emirates airline has started services to Kolkata and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Emirates' senior management were present at Dubai International Airport to officially flag off the departure of EK 548 - Emirates' first flight to Kolkata on March 26 and EK 723 - Emirates' first flight to Addis Ababa on March 27.

The Dubai-based airline, which has embarked on a major expansion drive in India, entered the North East Indian skies for the very first time, as it commenced its direct, six-flights-a-week service to Kolkata. The airline's presence in India now stands at seven cities served by 63 weekly flights, according to a statement from the airline.

Emirates' Kolkata service comes soon after the launch of the airline's operations to Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. The airline has also unveiled plans to launch eight-flights-a-week to Bangalore from October 29.

Emirates is consolidating its presence in East Africa, a region it has served since 1995 when it introduced non-stop services to Nairobi, Kenya. Thrice-weekly operations to Addis Ababa started on March 27, making it Emirates' fourth gateway in East Africa, which is currently served by double daily flights to Nairobi and daily flights each to Entebbe and Dar-es-Salaam.

Emirates will boost its frequency on the Dubai-Addis Ababa route to daily services from December 1.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group, said, "In 2006, Emirates is headed for a major expansion of its route network. We have already launched services to Abidjan in Africa; Thiruvananthapuram in India; and Hamburg in Europe. During the year we will continue to grow and enter new markets such as Beijing and Nagoya where there is a strong demand for our services."

Emirates' services to Kolkata and Addis Ababa are expected to boost business and tourism flows between India, Africa and West Asia, and facilitate investment in the local economies.

On both routes, Emirates will operate the Airbus A330-200, which offers superior range capability and significant cargo volumes.