First flight lands on Queen's Day

Dubai: Emirates has touched down in Amsterdam, cele-brating its latest European destination as the Netherlands celebrated the Queen's Birthday.

As the nation buzzed for Koninginnedag, or Queen's Day, Emirates received a VIP welcome at Schiphol International Airport for its VIP delegation and other passengers aboard the inaugural flight from Dubai.

Gilles Beschoor Plug, Netherlands ambassador to the UAE, who was aboard the flight, said: "The new Emirates service between Dubai and Amsterdam is a positive development in the growing relationship between the United Arab Emirates and the Netherlands.

"There is a long history of trade between the Netherlands and the Arab region, and trade between the Netherlands and the UAE now runs into billions of euros annually, while a large number of Dutch companies have a presence in the UAE.

Ambassador Plug added: "We know new air links stimulate commerce and tourism and we are confident that this daily flight will result in more visitors to our countries, for the purposes of both business and pleasure."

Salem Obaidullah Emirates Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations Europe and Russian Federation; said: "We are very excited about the product we are bringing to the route — we have the latest 777 aircraft — and we are especially proud that we are the only carrier offering First Class between here and Dubai.

"We know that many thousands of people from the Netherlands already enjoy flying with Emirates, taking our flights out of Duesseldorf.

"Our new daily service will make life much more convenient for those heading to Dubai and onwards to our more than 100 destinations."

Among the welcoming delegation in Amsterdam were Maarten de Groof, Executive Vice President and CCO of the Schiphol Group, and Ali Thani Al Suwaidi, UAE Ambassador to the Netherlands.

All passengers were given commemorative tulips on arrival.

Those making the May 1 trip to open Emirates' 23rd route in Europe included Obaidullah, Rob Broere, Vice President, Passenger Services Systems, Emirates Group IT; Jean-Luc Grillet, Emirates' Manager France and Benelux; Gilles Beschoor Plug; Kees van Spronsen, Holland's Consul-General in Dubai, and Eric van Wijk, Managing Director of The Hospitality Company.

Served by a combination of the latest Boeing 777-300ER and 200LR, EK flight 145 leaves Dubai daily at 8.25am and arrives in Amsterdam at 1.30pm. From Amsterdam, EK 146 departs at 3.30pm and arrives in Dubai at 11.59pm.

Queen's Day in the Netherlands falls on April 30 and is the official birthday of Queen Beatrix.

It is a major public holiday in the country and many take extended breaks to mark the occasion, which includes music concerts, street markets and children's games.