The 500,000th passenger was given the VIP treatment by Emirates staff at Newcastle International Airport. Josephine Cochrane from Seahouses, Northumberland travelling with Emirates to Sydney was presented with a pair of Emirates Economy Class tickets to Dubai.
This milestone follows a record 2010 during which Emirates carried more passengers from Newcastle than ever before - almost 15% more than in 2009. Cargo carryings, which now total around 8 million kilos, also saw significant growth in 2010 with 51% more kilos shipped than the previous year, helping companies in the North East export their goods around the world via Emirates’ global network.
Laurie Berryman, Emirates’ Vice President UK & Ireland, said: “Our Newcastle service continues to perform ahead of expectations, and we are thrilled to reach half a million passengers just over three years after we launched the route.
“Passengers and freight shippers across the region can clearly see the benefits of our route to Dubai and beyond and if the route continues to grow, we would hope to introduce a larger aircraft.”
Emirates launched its service from Newcastle to Dubai in September 2007. The daily flight has been welcomed by holidaymakers and business travellers alike who are now able to travel directly from the region to Dubai and beyond to a network that spans over 100 destinations on six continents.
Emirates’ most popular destinations beyond Dubai for North East travellers include Bangkok, Sydney, Perth, Mauritius and Kuala Lumpur.
Dave Laws, Newcastle Airport Chief Executive, said: “Welcoming the 500,000th Emirates passenger through Newcastle is a fantastic start to 2011. The airline launched its daily service to Dubai just over three years ago, opening up the world to North East passengers. It’s gone from strength to strength and is now an essential part of the region's transport infrastructure.
“North East industry, sport organisations and the region’s universities have seen their businesses grow and flourish, whether it’s attracting talent to the region or allowing new opportunities for business expansion. The significant added value that the airline delivers to the North East cannot be underestimated. We thank Emirates for what they have brought to the region, and very much look forward to what the future holds.”
Emirates’ daily service departs from Newcastle at 1310 arriving into Dubai at 0025 the following day. The return flight from Dubai departs at 0750, arriving into Newcastle at 1140 (all times local). The service is operated by an Airbus A330-200 aircraft with a choice of 27 Business Class and 251 Economy Class seats.
For more information, please visit www.emirates.com/uk.