DAA Welcomes New Emirates Service To Dubai

The Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) welcomes today’s announcement from Emirates Airline that it will begin a new daily Dublin-Dubai service from January.

The new long-haul service, which will operate from Terminal 2, will expand Dublin Airport’s direct links to the Middle East and its onward connections into India, Africa, South East Asia, Australasia and China.

“We are delighted to welcome Emirates to Dublin and we look forward to a long and successful partnership with our newest customer,” said DAA Chief Executive Declan Collier.

Emirates, which already has a significant route network in Europe, had looked at Dublin previously, but the additional long-haul capacity provided by new boarding gates delivered as part of the Terminal 2 project played a key role in convincing them to invest in Dublin on this occasion.

“The improvements in Dublin Airport’s facilities in recent years, including the opening of Terminal 2, and our new long-haul gates in Pier E, was a major factor in winning this new service for Ireland,” Mr Collier added. “We have been in talks with Emirates for several years about a possible Dublin-Dubai service and our perseverance has paid off.”

Emirates will operate daily flights to Dubai from January 9 with an Airbus A330-200 operating in a three-class configuration, offering passengers a choice of First, Business and Economy class travel. It will also give its Emirates SkyCargo business a direct service to Dublin, as it will offer cargo capacity on every passenger flight.

Emirates, which is the world’s sixth largest airline, operates services to more than 114 destinations in 67 countries. Its Dubai hub in the United Arab Emirates has more than 1,000 flights per week to destinations in six continents.

“Emirates’ decision to enter the Irish market shows the continued demand for long-haul services into and out of Ireland,” Mr Collier said. “Connectivity is essential for business and for tourism and this new service to Dubai, and the onward connections that it will provide will be very beneficial for the Irish economy,” he added.

The new Emirates service to Dubai is the second new long-haul route to be launched from Terminal 2 since the facility opened last November. Earlier this year, US Airways added a seasonal daily service to Charlotte, North Carolina to its existing Dublin-Philadelphia service.

Emirates will join Aer Lingus, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta, Etihad, and US Airways in Terminal 2. Terminal 1 at Dublin Airport has flights from Aer Arann, Air Canada, BMI, Cityjet, Lufthansa, Ryanair, SAS and a number of other scheduled airlines, as well as charter flights for summer and winter sun holidays and ski destinations.

The new Dublin-Dubai service will have a daily departure from Dublin at 12.55 arriving in Dubai at 0025 the following day. The return flight leaves Dubai at 7.00am with a scheduled arrival in Dublin at 11.30.

Further information:

Paul O’Kane, DAA

353 1 814 1897

353 86 609 0221