Emirates Airlines has announced it would begin double daily A380 services to Mauritius from December 1, 2014.
This second A380, which would operate as flight EK 703/704, replaces the existing Boeing 777 operation and increases Emirates’ capacity on the route by 19 per cent, further meeting the demand on the route and demonstrating the growth of Mauritius as a global destination.
A statement issued by the airline and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Monday, said the replacement increases passenger capacity by an additional 165 passengers each day, allowing more people to travel to this beautiful island set in the middle of the Indian Ocean.
Orhan Abbas, Emirates Senior Vice-President of Commercial Operations in Latin America, Central and Southern Africa stated: “Our daily A380 service into Mauritius has enjoyed exceptional popularity since its launch on 16th December 2013, with more than 150,000 passengers having flown our flagship aircraft to the paradise island during this time.
“The launch of a double daily A380 service to Mauritius will further strengthen our support for the country’s tourism industry and we are certain that hoteliers and operators will welcome this initiative.”
Services between Dubai and Mauritius and vice-versa, is operated in codeshare with Emirates’ long-time partner Air Mauritius.
The statement said since September 2002, Air Mauritius has been placing their marketing codes on all Emirates services operated between Dubai and Mauritius and will continue to do so with the commencement of the second A380 operation.
It added that in December 2013, the codeshare partnership was expanded to include several points beyond Dubai, and over the last few months, the two airlines have been in discussions to enhance the relationship and increase the number of destinations covered by the codeshare agreement.
The statement quoted the Minister of Tourism and Leisure for Mauritius, Michael Yeung Sik Yuen, as saying that: “Since the launch of the first A380 to Mauritius last year, we’ve received a very good response from travellers, especially with our new and modern airport that can accommodate large aircraft.
This new milestone will promote Mauritius and the airport as a ‘premier league’ destination in the Indian Ocean, being the only airport that will offer Emirates’ services using entirely A380 aircraft.”
The addition of this second iconic aircraft on the route opens up further opportunities for travellers to connect seamlessly on an Emirates A380 between Mauritius and a range of global destinations on Emirates’ growing network that now serves 143 gateways in 81 countries.
According to the statement, the addition of the Emirates’ A380, operating as EK703/704, is a wide-bodied double decker aircraft with a capacity of 519 passengers including 14 luxurious First Class Private Suites, 76 lie-flat beds in Business Class and 429 spacious seats in Economy Class.
On board, passengers in all three cabins can enjoy up to 1,800 channels of the latest movies, TV shows and music from around the world alongside a range of games on the award-winning ice in-flight entertainment system.
The latest technology allows passengers to stay connected throughout the flight with high-speed Wi-Fi access and mobile phone and data services.
Emirates’ First Class and Business Class experience on the A380 takes pampering to another level, and with two daily A380 flights to Mauritius, Emirates will now offer 56 First Class suites and 304 Business Class seats every day on the route.
First Class cabin customers can freshen up at 40,000 feet in the two onboard Shower Spas, while both First and Business Class travellers can exchange travel tales and talk business in the popular Emirates A380 Onboard Lounge, while sipping fine wines and cocktails, and nibbling hors d’oeuvres and delicacies prepared by gourmet chefs in a relaxed social environment.
The upgraded A380 service leaves Dubai as EK703 at 10:00 hours arriving at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport at 16:45 hours.
It returns as EK704, leaving Mauritius at 2300 hours, landing at Dubai International Airport at 0540 hours the following day.
Emirates is the first airline in the world to operate an A380 service to a destination in the Indian Ocean.
The airline currently has 49 A380s serving 26 destinations around the world, more than any other airline globally.
Source: GNA
