Transavia France has launched a second route to Armenia’s capital Yerevan and announced plans to begin flying to Dubai for the first time.

The new Armenian route connects Marseille Provence Airport and Yerevan’s Zvartnots International Airport once a week, complementing its existing 4X-weekly service from Paris Orly. Both operate aboard Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

Nicolas Hénin, general manager for sales and marketing at Transavia France, says the new route will meet the needs of an Armenian diaspora in the Bouches-du-Rhône region in southern France, which has “been waiting for several years for the return of a direct link.”

Julien Boullay, Marseille Provence Airport’s marketing director, adds that the airport has been seeking an airline partner to serve the needs of this community for “many years.” Marseille’s Armenian population totals more than 80,000.

Alongside the Yerevan route, Transavia France also intends to begin flying from Marseille to Dubai—one of two new services to the emirate. The LCC’s first flights to Dubai International will start on Oct. 29 from Lyon, followed by the Marseille route two days later. Both will be served three times per week.

OAG Schedules Analyser data shows that Lyon-Dubai has a daily Emirates flight, but Marseille-Dubai is unserved at the present time.

Earlier this month, Transavia France confirmed three other new routes for the upcoming northern winter 2023-24 season. Twice-weekly flights to Marrakech, Morocco, from Rennes begin on Oct. 29 and from Brest on Nov. 1. Tozeur, Tunisia, will be served from Paris Orly starting Oct. 30, also operating 2X-weekly.