Dubai: Emirates launched its UAE-Denmark route yesterday with its first flight from Dubai to the Danish capital of Copenhagen.
Aboard the inaugural EK 151 from Dubai were Richard Vaughan, the airline's divisional senior vice-president for commercial operations worldwide; Salem Obaid Allah, senior vice-president for commercial operations in Europe and Russian Federation; Pradeep Kumar, senior vice-president, cargo revenue optimisation and systems; and Luc Delcomminette, vice-president, Arabian Adventures.
"Copenhagen brings a new and exciting dimension to the Emirates' network," said Vaughan. "Emirates' passengers from Scandinavia no longer need to travel to Germany to join our flights. They can travel directly from the Danish capital all the way to the Far East and Australasia, via our ultra-modern hub in Dubai," he added.
The Dubai-Copenhagen route, the airline's 114th destination, will be served by an A330-200 in a three-class configuration. Up to 17 tonnes of cargo can be carried in the belly-hold of each flight.
Cargo capacity
"This new link opens up Scandinavia for Emirates on the cargo side too," said Kumar. "We have been sending in freighters to Gothenburg in Sweden since 2003, but this additional channel, feeding into our vast and efficient network, will be welcomed by importers and exporters by offering more frequencies and cargo capacity."
In the cargo hold going into Copenhagen were garments, fruit and vegetables from the Indian subcontinent. On Emirates' first flight out of Denmark, pharmaceuticals are being exported to Australia and the Middle East, along with seafood bound for the Far East.
After touching down in Denmark under the command of Danish captain, Lars Schoyen, Copenhagen Airport arranged for a water cannon salute before the VIP delegation joined a welcoming reception inside the terminal.
Teddy Zebitz, Emirates' area manager, Nordic countries, led the proceedings, attended by Shaikha Najla Al Qasimi, the UAE's ambassador to Sweden; Per Tangsgaard Jensen, Danish consul-general to Dubai; Copenhagen Airports staff and other guests from the travel, business and aviation sectors.
Staffed by highly trained and multinational cabin crew, EK 151 leaves Dubai each day at 0830hrs and reaches Copenhagen at 1310hrs. The return flight, EK 152, takes off from Copenhagen at 1455hrs and lands in Dubai at 2315hrs.
