— Code share with Air Malta on Larnaca flights
Emirates, the Dubai-based award winning international airline, recently launched its code-share flights from Dubai to Malta, using Larnaca as its mid-route hub, placing Cyprus on the travel and trade map for business to and from the Gulf area.
The Emirates and Air Malta agreement is based on the codeshare of Emirates flights between Malta and Larnaca.
Emirates flies from Dubai to Larnaca four times a week and after a one-hour stop continues to Malta.
A fifth flight a week is operated between Dubai, Larnaca and Athens bringing the total Emirates flights to five per week in each destination, meaning ten landings and ten takeoffs in seven days.
Emirates’ commitment to Cyprus is quite evident. The airline has had a presence here for ten years, currently employing three teams in Nicosia and at Larnaca. These include three engineers, six airport staff and seven people in sales and administration.
Emirates has been operating services to Malta since 1998 and it has proved to be a popular market. The Emirates services between Larnaca and Malta, and the codeshare with Air Malta, aims to increase both business and leisure travel to both destinations from the Gulf.
Emirates operates an Airbus 330-200 on the route, departing from Larnaca on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 12.15 and arriving in Malta at 14.10. The return flight departs from Malta at 15.40 and arrives in Larnaca at 19.15 hours.
Paul Fleri Soler, Area Manager of Emirates in Cyprus and Malta promised to enhance the Emirates product and services in the area.
“For us, it’s not just the passenger business. Cargo also plays important role,” he told the Financial Mirror in an interview.
Fleri Soler said that the Emirates fleet always uses wide-body aircraft in order to hold up to 13-15 tonnes of cargo.
“Cargo exports from Cyprus are mostly pharmaceuticals, vegetables and fresh fruit to Dubai, while from Dubai it’s a whole range of products,” he explained.
“We have a very good passenger load factor across all categories. Our business class has a DVD player and video on demand, while all seats have on-board screens and telephone.”
Fleri Soler explained that Emirates has introduced a new concept on the New York-Paris flights and on flights to Australia.
“For Business class, we have a chauffer service, complimentary pick up from home or the hotel. Our Skywards frequent flyer programme allows Business and First Class twice and three times more luggage allowance.
Other partners, such as Sri Lankan, are also implementing the same services.”
Emirates’ Cyprus manager said that traffic between Larnaca and Dubai and beyond are not just the holidaymakers travelling to the Gulf or southern Africa or Australia and that the airline is focusing on other market segments as well.
“We serve 75 destinations in 54 different countries and passenger traffic includes business people and vacationers, as well as various professional groups. Seamen traffic is a very important part of our sales,” he added.
Dubai hub reaps benefits
Obviously, with all the developments surrounding Emirates means that Dubai airport gets the full benefit.
“The Government of Dubai has a vision of Emirates growing with them. If the target is to attract 15 million tourists a year, then someone has to provide that transport service,” Fleri Soler explained.
“Our advantage is that Dubai has worked so hard to become a destination in itself. But we also consider any destination as an important destination to us.”
As regards future plans and fleet upgrades, Fleri Soler said the flagship Airbus A380 will be used for flights to Australia, Singapore, New York and London.
“There is great demand for Business Class as many travel to the Far East, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Thailand. We are trying to fly to Beijing, but a date has not been fixed yet.”
The airline plans to introduce seven new destinations this year – Abidjan, Thiruvananthapuram (India), Hamburg, Addis Ababa, Kolkata (India), Nagoya and Beijing.
“Taking the example of the flight from Larnaca, it arrives in Dubai just after midnight, at 00.40 meeting all major connections that are within the next crucial 2-3 hours or very early in the morning.
“From 8.15 to 8.45 most of the flights depart Dubai west bound, offering very good connections as many destinations are served by two flights a day.”
For stopover passengers going on to other holiday destinations, Dubai offers itself for shopping, where all the facilities are very clean, organised and most of the hotels are 5-star, not to mention the unique 7-star establishments you find only in Dubai.”
“Our affiliate Emirates Holidays offers very attractive packages, where you can also book to exotic destinations such as the Maldives or Mauritius, and take advantage of the special programmes we have for honeymooners.
Cyprus, Malta promotion
Thanks to Emirates, a number of Maltese tour operators and journalists visited Cyprus recently and there was a return visit from Cyprus to Malta, with high praise for both destinations.
“Dubai Shopping, traditionally held every January to February has attracted many Cypriots over the years, while Dubai Summer Shopping from mid-June to mid-September works very well. Hotel occupancy in Dubai is over 80% during this period.”
March, April and May also enjoy a high rate of visitors as these months are very popular for business fairs and trade exhibitions.
However, the Maltese and Cypriots still need visas to visit Dubai, but the issue of visa-on-arrival is being considered. Perhaps, the bilateral trade figures with Dubai are not significant to justify a simplification of the process or the abolition of the visas altogether.
At present, Dubai has a maximum 96 hours stopover package where visas are charged USD 45, while those in transit do not require a visa.
As regards Malta, Fleri Soler said that Emirates is promoting such attractions as casinos in this central Mediterranean island-state and aims to promote all other events every season.
“The Christmas festive package was a great success, followed by Easter, Carnival, summer holidays and the casinos,” he concluded.
