Dubai: Dubai is just over six weeks away from having a non-stop flight to Spain and Emirates has been taking that message to the heart of the Spanish capital.
More than 70 media personnel turned up for a press conference in Madrid to hear Emirates' plans for the route ahead of a high-profile road show gala event.
Richard Vaughan, Emirates Divisional Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations Worldwide; Salem Obaidalla, Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations, Europe and Russian Federation, and Peter Sedgley, Senior Vice President of Cargo (Commercial Operations) were joined at Thursday's media gathering by representatives from Madrid Airport and the Madrid Chamber of Commerce.
Vaughan said: "It's great to be in the final stages of preparations for our new Madrid service. I know a lot of people in Spain have been waiting for this non-stop service to Dubai and now Emirates is providing it."
Miguel Angel Oleaga, Madrid-Barajas Airport Director, said: "I want to thank Emirates for adding Madrid to its expanding network. By taking this decision, the company has valued the competitive advantages offered by Madrid-Barajas Airport: huge capacity, costs that are 46 per cent lower than the European average and a very efficient airport operation."
Latest available figures show the value of trade between Spain and the UAE stands at more than Dh3.6 billion, a figure set to rise with the new daily passenger service.
Salvador Santos, President of the Madrid Chamber of Commerce, said: "It is very satisfying to see Emirates opening this new non-stop route between Madrid and Dubai. It will push commerce with the UAE, as well as promote cultural exchanges between both countries through tourism."
When flights start on August 1, Emirates will deploy an Airbus A330-200 on the route, offering 12 seats in First Class, 42 in Business and 183 in Economy.
