Emirates has thrust itself into a series of awareness-building events ahead of the launch of its services to Cape Town, its second destination in the Republic of South Africa.On March 30, Emirates will begin operating daily flights between Cape Town International Airport, Africa’s third-busiest airport, and the ultra-modern Dubai International Airport.

A senior Emirates delegation led by Ghaith Al Ghaith, Emirates’ Executive Vice President, Commercial Operations Worldwide, is currently in Cape Town to introduce the airline’s award-winning product and service to media and over 1,000 travel and cargo agents. The road show features a multi-media presentation about Dubai and Emirates as well as a viewing gallery.

The Emirates’ road show comes hot on the heels of the Emirates-sponsored Africa Open golf tournament, underlying the airline’s increasing South African focus.

Al Ghaith noted: “Cape Town is one of the world’s most beautiful cities and is a regular feature in the holiday calendars of Middle Eastern and European tourists. The city’s natural setting, world-famous landmarks, diverse entertainment facilities, and strong tourism infrastructure have enhanced its popularity, particularly among UAE holidaymakers, resulting in a 4% increase in arrivals in 2006.”

“Business tourism too is a vital growth sector, often contributing more foreign spending per tourist than leisure tourism. Leveraging our strong network of operations in Europe, Middle East and Australasia, Emirates will support the South African government’s efforts in boosting business and tourism inflows into the country.”

p>He added: “We have already started promoting Cape Town through our offices in 62 countries in the Middle East, Europe, the Americas, and Asia Pacific. These efforts complement Emirates Holidays’ existing initiatives to promote Cape Town through its ‘World of Choice’ brochure.”

On the route, Emirates will operate its Boeing 777-200, one of the largest aircraft in its fleet, in a three-class configuration of 12 First, 42 Business, and 236 Economy class seats. First class seats are equipped with an Integrated Passenger Seat Controller enabling all seat and inflight entertainment options to be accessed at the touch of a button. Emirates’ inimitable inflight entertainment system, ‘ice’ (information, communications, entertainment) offers over 600 channels of movies, TV entertainment, audio and games.

 

Business class seats can be adjusted from fully upright to deeply reclined positions. Back rest, lumbar support, leg rest, and an adjustable winged head rest maximize passenger comfort. The comfortably contoured Economy class seats allow passengers to stretch out and relax.

Emirates’ Boeing 777-200 also offers industry-leading comforts such as personal video screens, in-seat phones, and facilities to send and receive email and sms from each seat.

The start of Emirates’ flights will introduce over 2,000 seats and over 100 tonnes of cargo capacity per week per direction to Cape Town, a development that will be welcomed by business and leisure travelers on either sides of the equator.

 

Emirates’ flight EK 771 will take off daily from Cape Town International Airport at 6:10pm, touching down at Dubai International Airport at 5:40am the following day. Inbound flight EK 770 will depart Dubai at 8:35am, arriving in Cape Town at 4:25pm.

 

In the United States, Emirates currently operates three daily flights from New York’s JFK (two non-stop and one via Hamburg), and a newly-launched daily flight from Houston.
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