Emirates Airline is to introduce an Airbus A380 on its Dubai – Johannesburg route from October 1, becoming the third carrier to utilise the ‘Super Jumbo’ on flights to the South African city. The confirmation that the aircraft will be introduced on the route followed the announcement of an increase of 12 per cent in the number of passengers travelling with the airline between Dubai and South Africa in its last financial year (2010/2011).
“We have enjoyed a successful partnership with South Africa since launching services in 1995, and now connect our Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban gateways to our vast global network through 42 non-stop flights each week to Dubai," said Tim Clark, President, Emirates Airline. "By launching the aircraft to Johannesburg, we are further underlining our commitment to serving South Africa and we anticipate very strong demand from leisure and business travelers keen to experience its unique features and unparalleled levels of comfort in the air.”
According to the latest update to the airline’s schedule on the GDS, the aircraft will be used on flight EK761/762, one of three daily rotations between the two cities. The flight departs Dubai at 04:40 in the morning, arriving in Johannesburg at 10:50, returning from the South African city at 14:10 and arriving back in Dubai at 00:10 the following morning. Emirates' two other flights will continue to be operated using Boeing 777 equipment. The arrival time of the A380 will also provide fast connections to the Middle and Far East and in particular Emirates’ 25 destinations in Europe, rising to 27 following the launch of flights to Geneva on June 1 and Copenhagen on August 1.
The new service will help to support the thriving trade relationship between South Africa and the UAE, which has enjoyed an average year-on-year growth of eight per cent since 2007. Total trade volumes rose from $1,379,000 in 2007 to $1,749,000 in 2010.
Alongside the thrice daily Johannesburg service, Emirates also has a double daily link to Cape Town and a daily service to Durban. In the past year the airline carried more than 54,000 passengers in and out of South Africa, with only 25.3 per cent of these beginning or ending their journeys in Dubai.
Emirates has also confirmed that it will use its A380 on a special once only flight to Rome Leonardo da Vinci International to mark the 50th anniversary of the airport, also known as Fiumicino, and 150 years of Italian unification. The aircraft will operate its scheduled EK97/98 flight on June 6. “This day will be extraordinary and a further confirmation of the successful relationship between Emirates and Aeroporti di Roma -ADR," said Elia Pistola, ADR Executive Vice President - Aviation. "This will be the first A380 arrival in Rome and we are going to celebrate it as the first Italian airport able to welcome an A380 flight with the full operational infrastructure.”
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