Emirates Increases Frequencies to Rome

United Arab Emirates (UAE) carrier Emirates Airline has confirmed it will further expand its capacity in Europe during 2012 with the introduction of a third daily rotation between Dubai and Rome Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino) from October 1, 2012. The new service will increase its flights in to Italy to 56 a week and will be operated by a three-class, 237-seat Airbus A330-200 with 12 First Class, 42 Business Class and 183 Economy seats.

Rome is currently served twice daily by Emirates with both flights operated using Boeing 777 variants. Coupled with the introduction of a triple daily service to Milan commencing from June 1, and a double daily flight to Venice beginning March 25, 2012, the increased weekly frequencies will contribute to a burgeoning trade relationship between Italy and the UAE worth $4.6 billion.

“The third daily service to Rome represents another significant initiative that is part of Emirates’ partnership with Italy. Emirates is committed to offering more capacity to travellers in addition to giving customers more choice in seamlessly connecting to points across the Far and Middle East, Indian sub-continent and Africa all while experiencing the most comfortable and entertaining experience in the sky,” said Salem Obaidalla, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Europe & Russian Federation, Emirates Airline. “We will continue to invest in Italy, empowering the local economy and helping it expand its business and tourism presence.”

In the past year an estimated 397,000 O&D passengers travelled between Italy and UAE with around 65.0 per cent of this traffic making use of the direct flights of Emirates Airline to/from Milan, Rome and Venice. The O&D demand between Dubai and Rome was estimated at 134,000 passengers in 2011, with 158,000 people travelling between Dubai and Milan and 65,000 between Dubai and Venice.