Emirates Flights Spark Down Under Flow

Media Release
10 August 2007

Emirates Flights Spark Down Under Flow

North East England travellers are heading Down Under in droves following the announcement of Emirates daily service from Newcastle Airport.

Australia has emerged as the favourite long-haul destination for the region’s business and leisure travellers, with several thousand customers already booked to fly in the first four months of the service. And New Zealand is in the top 10 destinations from Newcastle, among the 59 countries served by the airline.

With the first two flights from Newcastle already sold out in record time, the majority of travellers are looking beyond Emirates home base of Dubai as their final destination.

Laurie Berryman, Emirates Manager UK North, said: “The response from the North East public fully justifies the introduction of the first ever scheduled long haul service from Newcastle Airport.

“We’ve had a fantastic response to the launch. The first two flights have sold out in record time, filling up more than two months in advance – the best sales we’ve ever had for a UK launch.”

A survey of Emirates forward bookings reveals the top 10 destinations for the Newcastle route are:

1. Australia
2. Thailand
3. Dubai
4. China
5. South Africa
6. India
7. New Zealand
8. Hong Kong
9. Pakistan
10. Bangladesh.

Mr Berryman said: “The North East public have quickly realised the scope of travel with Emirates from Newcastle stretches beyond Dubai easily, with good connections at very competitive prices.”

Emirates’ New Zealand manager, Chris Lethbridge, said advance bookings northbound from New Zealand to Newcastle were in line with expectations.

“Forward bookings are encouraging. We have an excellent connection in Dubai for Newcastle from all four Emirates services that leave New Zealand daily, and we expect good patronage from here as the service gets better known.
“We are in a great position all round with our flights from New Zealand, with connections to all six Emirates destinations in the UK. Emirates currently operates 91 non-stop flights per week from Dubai to the UK – five services a day to London Heathrow, three daily to London Gatwick, two per day to Manchester and Birmingham, and daily services to Glasgow.”

Emirates currently flies to 92 cities in 59 countries in Europe, North America, the Middle East, Africa, Indian subcontinent and Asia-Pacific. In 2006 Emirates launched services to Malawi, Abidjan, Addis Ababa, Thiruvananthapuram, Hamburg, Kolkata, Bangalore, Beijing, and Nagoya. Emirates commenced services to Venice in July and in addition to Newcastle, will also launch services to Sao Paulo, Houston, Ahmedabad and Toronto later this year.

ENDS

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