Emirates To Add 350k Annual Seats Across Perth And Brisbane

Republished By Plato

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Les Bushell shot this Emirates 777-200LR on approach to Perth.

Emirates will boost flights from Brisbane and Perth to Dubai later this year, increasing capacity by around 350,000 seats annually.

Starting 1 October, Emirates’ second daily flight to Brisbane will be upgraded from a 777-300ER to an A380, while Perth will see an additional daily 777-300ER flight starting 1 December. Between them, the two flights are expected to add 6,900 seats between Australia and Dubai per week.

Barry Brown, divisional vice president Australasia at Emirates, said the extra capacity will offer “more choice and opportunities” for travellers from Brisbane and Perth.

“It’s a demonstration of the importance of both gateways for tourism and trade, and Emirates’ commitment to ensure convenient schedules and comfortable connections to and through Dubai,” he said.

“The ramp up is also a testament to our commitment in enhancing global connectivity to our Australian gateways and supporting tourism and trade growth opportunities.”

Perth Airport will see a major boost in capacity with the second daily 777-300ER flight, with the airport’s COO, Scott Woodward, saying it will add an extra 250,000 seats per year into the WA market.

“Not only does the new service mean that there are more options for business and leisure travel, but the increased capacity will lead to many more international visitors coming to Western Australia,” he said.

“The return of this second daily service shows the commitment and confidence that Emirates has in the Western Australian market, and we will be working with the airline to ensure this second service is as popular as its current one.”

Brisbane Airport has also welcomed the extra capacity from the A380, with CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff saying it will allow more connections with Europe.

“The A380 will allow up to 100,000 extra passengers per year to travel between Queensland and Europe, which is Brisbane’s second busiest international destination,” he said.

“Now in its 21st year of serving Brisbane, Emirates is our number one mover of people to and from Europe.”

De Graaff also thanked Emirates for its efforts in reducing noise impact, saying the carrier is the “leading airline in over the bay operations”.

Emirates, along with Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific, agreed in October to fly in tailwinds of up to seven knots at Brisbane, allowing more flights over Moreton Bay rather than over populated areas.

“More than two-thirds of all overnight Emirates flights have been over Moreton Bay during the period from July to December 2023,” said de Graaff.

“We congratulate Emirates on that performance and look forward to continued collaboration across all airlines.”