With just a week to go before Emirates Airlines’ first direct daily international flight from Dubai lands in Durban, Tourism KwaZulu-Natal and Durban Chamber bosses have urged business in particular to support the new international route out of KwaZulu-Natal.
Emirates flight EK 775 will make history as the Airbus 330-200 aircraft touches down at Durban International Airport on Thursday, October 1, at 5.10pm.
“The start of daily flights between Durban and Dubai is going to be a major milestone for KwaZulu-Natal and put Durban back on the international air-routes map, but it is up to us to make sure it’s a success – especially the business sector.
“Airlines make a significant part of their money from business class; that’s what makes international routes profitable. Big business or the corporate sector needs to support this new route,” said Ndabo Khoza, chief executive officer of Tourism KZN.
“Clearly, local people need to support this new route to Dubai and dozens of destinations around the world onward via Durban-Dubai, but the corporate sector have a role to play by taking advantage of the business class seat offering on the flights,” he said.
“There should be no reason local businesses don’t support this new route because Durban and KwaZulu-Natal have a large manufacturing and trade base, being the second most industrialised region in South Africa.
“We have many major South African and international corporations based in KwaZulu-Natal – such as Toyota, Tata Steel, Unilever, Aspen Pharmacare, Grindrod, IFA Hotels & Resorts SA and Tongaat-Hulett, among others.
“Despite the economic downturn and impact on the aviation industry, other global airlines will be watching this (Emirates’ new route) carefully. Depending on its success, demand and growth, interested international airlines will use this new route as a yardstick in deciding when and whether to come into KwaZulu-Natal with their own new international routes,” added Khoza.
The tourism committee manager at the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Jane Pillay, said the chamber fully supported the move by Emirates and would encourage its members to do the same.
“We have been looking forward to this new international route out of Durban for a long time and now it is just a week away. We are really encouraging business and Durbanites in general to support this new route, because ultimately it is in Durban and KwaZulu-Natal’s best interest to see this become a great success,” said Pillay.
“As the chamber, we are looking forward to the economic and tourism benefits that this new international route will bring to KwaZulu-Natal. We want to build strong business and diplomatic relationships with Dubai in particular and the Middle East in general because the region presents lucrative trade and investment opportunities for not just our province but South Africa,” she said.
“Tourism KwaZulu-Natal is really excited in the run-up to Emirates’ new direct flights taking off from next week.
“It will open the Zulu kingdom to the world – making inbound and outbound travel far easier and more cost-effective.
“As Tourism KZN, we have pledged our full support for Emirates to make the route a resounding success and prove sceptics wrong. The spotlight is on South Africa as we move closer to hosting the World Cup and we have to take advantage of this,” said Khoza.
“With the introduction of Durban, Emirates will open the gates to the rest of the world for KZN. Travellers from the region will now have the opportunity to explore destinations on six continents. The profile of South Africa will be further boosted, which will help in educating international visitors about this magnificent province and country,” said Fouad Caunhye, Emirates’ regional manager in southern Africa.
Caunhye said an Airbus 330-200 aircraft would serve the new route, offering 27 business class and 251 economy class seats.
He said Emirates would be the only carrier flying international routes daily spanning South Africa’s three major 2010 Fifa World Cup host cities from October 1. The daily routes out of Durban and Cape Town, together with the triple daily out of Johannesburg, would result in 35 flights a week out of South Africa to Dubai.
Emirates would also be the first international airline with a direct route to the new multibillion-rand international airport at La Mercy, north of Durban, when it opens in May next year.
In support of the new route, Caunhye said Emirates had set up a new sales office in Umhlanga Rocks.
“News of the service has spread fast within KwaZulu-Natal, thanks to the media and the advertising of vacancies to support the new sales. Emirates’ reputation in South Africa exceeded itself with the applications for these positions being over-subscribed by 600 percent,” he said.
Aside from a sales manager, the Emirates Durban office has employed four cargo staff, five ticket office staff, six airport staff and one sales staff member.
Meanwhile, engineering support in Johannesburg is being rearranged so that a six-strong engineering team will be based permanently in Durban.
“We’ve got a strong team in place and it’s all systems go… We couldn’t do this without the support of the regional authorities, for which we are very grateful.
“We’d also like to thank the people of KwaZulu-Natal who have bought tickets and look forward to many more experiencing Emirates for the first time,” said Caunhye.
Durbanites are encouraged to visit the airport on October 1 and witness the landing of the inaugural flight from the airport viewing deck.
The aircraft will be welcomed by Emirates South Africa staff, including the new Durban team, along with representatives from Tourism KwaZulu-Natal and the local government.
A high-level delegation from the UAE government and Emirates Airlines will be on board the first flight from Dubai to mark the occasion.
The new Emirates flight will depart with the code EK776 from Durban at 6.40pm and get to Dubai at 5.20am. Flight EK775 will leave Dubai daily at 10.25am and get to Durban at 5.10pm.
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