Emirates to Introduce Boeing 777 On Newcastle Route

Emirates Airline has announced plans to add more capacity from Newcastle to Dubai.

The airline will provide 2,000 more seats per week to and from Newcastle as soon as it starts operating on the route with a much larger aircraft on its daily flight to Dubai.

Considered one of the fastest growing airlines in the world, Emirates will pump up the capacity from 1st September, 2012, which is the 5th anniversary of the route launch. As per reports, approximately 700,000 passengers have travelled with airline to and from Newcastle airport since the launch.

The airline said that it is going to replace the 278-seat Airbus A330-200, which currently plies on the Dubai- Newcastle route, with the 428-seat Boeing 777-300ER. With a substantial increase in the capacity (more than 50%), the airline hopes to cater a large number of travellers. Given the rise in seat numbers, budget travellers might have a greater chance of netting relatively cheap flight tickets on the route.

In one talks about annual figures then every year in excess of 100,000 passengers will be able to travel on flights to and from Dubai or connect on to popular holiday destinations in Australia, the Far East and the Indian Ocean.

The airline also revealed its plans regarding the travel class configuration. Travellers will be offered a two-class option with 42 lie-flat beds in Business Class and 386 seats in Economy Class. This means there will be enough number of seats available whether one is looking to explore the airline’s celebrated lavishness or one is seeking the comparative cost-effective options with cheap flight tickets on economy class.

“Our Newcastle service has come of age and with demand continuing to increase, this is the right time for Emirates to be expanding its capacity from the North East,” Salem Obaidalla, Emirates' senior vice president, Commercial Operations, Europe and Russian Federation, was quoted as saying.

“With the introduction of this larger aircraft, we will offer almost 6,000 seats every week to and from Newcastle,” Obaidalla added.

Flights to Dubai, Bangkok, Sydney, Perth, Beijing, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Mauritius are the key operations for North East travellers, said the airline.

Emirates boasts 65 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft and has an additional 86 on order.

Cargo Capacity to Get a Boost
Not only passenger capacity, the deployment of a larger aircraft on the route is also going to boost cargo carrying capacity. It is said that the move will result in an increase of some 22 percent in cargo carrying capacity.

Dave Laws, Newcastle International Airport’s Chief Executive, said: “This is a very significant announcement for Newcastle International.

“Despite challenging economic times, the daily service to Dubai has flourished. The growth of this global brand at the airport will bring employment opportunities and increased cargo carrying capabilities. This in turn will bring economic benefit, trade and investment to the region,” he was quoted.