The Hindu Business Line : Emirates clocks 70 pc passenger load factor on Kolkata sector

Emirates has clocked an average passenger load factor of 70 per cent on the Kolkata-Dubai-Kolkata sector. The airline commenced operations from the city in March with six-flights-a-week direct non-stop to Dubai. Across the country, Emirates operates 71 flights a week to eight cities.

Speaking to newspersons here after the inauguration of a new 7,000-sq-ft office, the Emirates' Senior Vice-President - Commercial Operations, West Asia and Indian Ocean, Mr Nabil Sultan, said a passenger load factor of around 70 per cent was pretty good for any airline operating on a new route. He attributed this to the convenience of onward connections ex-Dubai to destinations in Europe, US, Africa, and even Australia, among other things.

Mr Sultan said a sizeable chunk of passengers transiting through Dubai heads for leisure destinations such as Mauritius and the Seychelles. In fact, for Emirates Holidays, which offers holiday packages for Emirate airline passengers, Kolkata has emerged as the No.1 destination in India. Since the launch of flight operations from Kolkata, Emirates Holidays has sold as many as 128 holiday packages.

According to him, talks were under way with reputed healthcare outfits here with a view to promoting Kolkata as a destination for medical tourism. "On every flight to Mumbai, we carry 5-6 patients who go to that city for medical treatment. With costs on the rise there, patients from the Gulf are looking for alternate destinations for their treatment. Kolkata has great scope in this regard, with the presence of several good hospitals and professional doctors here," he said.

Besides, passenger loads, Emirates carries 10-12 tonnes of cargo on every flight on the Kolkata-Dubai sector. This basically comprises garments, tea, meat, vegetables and flowers, Mr Sultan said.

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