Emirates, the biggest Arab carrier, has registered a growth of 24 per cent in passenger traffic in the India-Dubai sector in the one-year ending September 30, 2009.
At a time when the global aviation industry was poised to lose due to economic slowdown, Emirates managed to register this growth rate in passenger traffic. The airline is expected to maintain this growth rate till the end of the current financial year, Majid Al Mualla, Vice-President, Commercial Operations, West Asia and Indian Ocean, Emirates, told visiting presspersons from India here recently. At present, Emirates is operating 175 flights a week from Dubai to 10 destinations in India — Mumbai (35 flights a week); New Delhi (28); Hyderabad (21); Chennai and Bangalore (20 each); Kochi (14); Tiruvananthapuram (11); Ahmedabad (10); Kozhikode (9) and Kolkata (7).
Following good patronage the airline has planned to increase the services to 184 to these destinations by December 1, Mr. Majid said.
The airline, which entered its 25 th year last month, introduced a direct daily flight from Dubai to Durban (South African) from October 1.
The airline has joined hands with the Tourism Department of Government of India to organise ‘Visit India 2009-10’. “Under this project we are encouraging foreign tourists to visit India too.
India is a strong destination for Emirates and it has established good rapport with the Government. The response from the Indian Government for all our proposals has been encouraging.” Mr. Majid said Emirates was gearing up to meet the demand during FIFA world cup matches in Durban.
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