Emirates Gives Kiwis Double Rome Option

Emirates Gives Kiwis Double Rome Option

One of the world's most visited countries, Italy, has been brought closer to New Zealand travellers after Emirates' flights to Rome went double daily yesterday.
The airline's 12 times a week service to the Italian capital has become a full twice a day operation and supplements double daily flights to Milan and a daily flight into Venice.
Passengers travelling between Dubai and Rome will now have the choice of a morning and afternoon flight seven days a week, bringing greater flexibility and convenience. The morning departures provide direct connections at Dubai with the arrival of Emirates flights from New Zealand, while the afternoon flights provide an ideal departure option for Dubai stopovers.
Salem Obaidalla, Emirates' Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Europe and the Russian Federation, said: "We have been strengthening our services to Rome since October of last year, gradually building up to the double daily which kicks off today. We know Rome is a powerful tourism magnet with historical gems such as the Colosseum, the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain. But it is also an important business centre, so we're confident the extra flight will be a success."

EK097 departs Dubai at 9.25am and arrives in Rome's Fiumicino Airport at 12.45 (local time). EK098 leaves Rome at 2.30pm and gets into Dubai at 11pm. Alternatively, EK095 takes off from Dubai at 3.05pm and touches down at Fiumicino Airport at 6.35pm. The return sector sees EK096 depart Fiumicino Airport at 8.25pm, landing in Dubai at 5.05am the following day.

The route is served by a combination of Boeing 777-300ER and Airbus A330-200 aircraft in a three-class configuration.

This year sees Emirates intensifying its activities in Europe. On January 1, flights to Nice went from five flights a week to daily, further opening up the popular French Riviera. In addition, Paris now served by Emirates A380 superjumbo.

And three out of the airline's four new routes announced so far in 2010 are in Europe. Amsterdam starts May 1, Prague begins July 1 and Madrid launches August 1 (the fourth new route is Tokyo).

To support the expansion of services, the airline expects to receive 11 new aircraft during 2010 and is recruiting cabin crew and pilots. Currently, there are 145 aircraft in the Emirates fleet, including eight A380s.

ENDS