Emirates says it with flowers by announcing flights to Amsterdam

DUBAI, U.A.E., 3rd December 2009 : Emirates is to launch flights to Amsterdam from 1st May 2010.

The international airline of the UAE is also promising further new route announcements in the coming months, supported by continuing aircraft deliveries.

The blossoming of the airline's 23rd route into Europe will bring much awaited news in The Netherlands. The daily, non-stop service from Dubai will be operated with a combination of 777-200LR and 777-300ER aircraft, boasting a three-class configuration and the newest version of ice, the passenger revered in-flight entertainment system. Emirates, with its exquisite Private Suites, will be the only airline offering First Class accommodation on the route.

This is the fourth new destination to be announced this year by the Dubai-based carrier. Durban and Luanda were both launched in October and Tokyo was recently announced with a start date of 28th March 2010.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group, said: “We are extremely pleased to announce a new service into Europe at this time and I'm sure it's a development that will be welcomed with open arms in The Netherlands. Amsterdam is already an important offline market for Emirates and we know there is significant passenger traffic heading from Amsterdam to Dubai and onto Africa, the Indian Sub-continent, Asia and the Far East."

Sheikh Ahmed added: "This is also a major freight hub and one of the world's renowned flower centres. Emirates has served The Netherlands as a freighter destination for fifteen years and currently offers six 747-400 freighter flights a week between Dubai and Amsterdam. The daily passenger flight will allow us to bolster our cargo offering by making use of the belly hold capacity."

Starting 1st May next year, EK 145 will leave Dubai each day at 0825hrs and arrive in Amsterdam at 1330hrs. From Amsterdam, EK 146 departs at 1530hrs, arriving in Dubai at 2359hrs.

The new European service comes on the back of exclusive lounge openings in Dusseldorf, Hamburg and Manchester and extra frequencies to Rome, building up to a double daily in February.

During December, Emirates will take delivery of two further A380s, which will be deployed to Seoul from 14th December and Paris two weeks later.

Last month, the carrier announced half year net profits of Dhs 752 million (US$205 million), representing a 165 percent increase compared to Dhs 284 million (US$77 million) for the period ending 30th September 2008. During the latest results period, the airline carried over 13 million passengers, in excess of 700,000 tonnes of cargo and made an estimated direct contribution of Dhs 10 billion (US$2.72 billion) to the UAE economy.