Basra Becomes 110th Emirates Destination

News Release, 3 February 2011

Basra Becomes 110th Emirates Destination

Emirates has marked up its 110th international destination overnight with its inaugural flight to Basra, the airline's first service into Iraq.

Emirates is the largest international carrier to operate services into Iraq, helping link the country to the rest of the world through its convenient connections in Dubai. Emirates flies four times daily from New Zealand to Dubai and beyond via Australia.

“Iraq is experiencing a surge in growth and it is our goal to help the country prosper and flourish. The potential for this destination is significant and Emirates is committed to working alongside the Iraqi authorities to make Basra a success,” said Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline.

“Our strong forward bookings for Basra indicate the high demand for services to this destination, particularly from the corporate sector as the city rebuilds. Iraq is a key destination for Emirates and we expect our operations to Basra to thrive alongside the city’s growth,” added Clark.

Basra is the first new destination for Emirates in 2011 with Geneva service to launch on June 1, followed by Copenhagen on August 1.

On landing in Basra, Emirates delegates were met by His Excellency Shaltagh Aboud Al-Mayahi, Governor of Basra, His Excellency Jabbar Amin Jaber Latif, Head of Basra Council, and Abdulameer Ghanim Abdullah, Basra Airport Manager.

Emirates will operate both passenger and cargo services to and from Basra with an estimated 130 tonnes of freight per week between Dubai and Basra.

In addition to transporting equipment for oil and petroleum companies Emirates expects to carry a diverse range of goods from all corners of the globe, including perishable foodstuffs, medical products, car parts, garments, textiles and various electronic items such as mobile phones. Goods travelling in the other direction will include petroleum products, grains, wool and dates. New Zealand companies are among active exporters to Iraq.

The service will operate four times a week - each Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. The flight will be operated by an Airbus A330, in a three class configuration on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday and in a two class configuration on Mondays.

ENDS

© Scoop Media