Emirates to launch flight to Addis Ababa by end-March

Mar 6, 2006 (ADDIS ABABA) — The Dubai-based Emirates Airlines said it has finalized preparations to launch flight to Addis Ababa three days a week as of 27 March 2006.

The airlines also announced plan to make daily flights as of early December this year, the state-run ENA said

Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations in Africa, Nasser Bin Kherbash said in a statement on Monday that Addis Ababa would be the 81st destination of the 56 countries Emirates is operating in five continents.

The Emirates Agent in Addis Ababa has recruited 14 Ethiopians and would raise the number to 30, according to Nasser.

Currently, Emirates makes 28 flights to and from Eastern Africa, starting places being Nairobi, Entebbe and Dar-es-Salam, Nasser said, adding that the launching of flight to Addis would raise destinations to four and flights to 31 in Eastern Africa.

He said the Emirates operates its flights to and from Addis through business, economic classes and 183 passengers seats as well as through airbus with a capacity of holding 17 tones of fright.

Kherbash said the flight would link Addis Ababa with Dubai and Middle East, Europe and Far Eastern countries.

He said the flight would help a great deal in promoting the tourism industry of Ethiopia and transporting a large number of international tourists.

According to the vice president, Emirates has set plans to launch daily flights to Addis on early December 2006.

On the Net : http://www.emirates.com

(ST/ENA)