Emirates has revealed the future of its Newcastle to Dubai route as it marks its 15th anniversary of flights between the two destinations.
The airline, which operates five flights a week between the North East and United Arab Emirates, first arrived in the region on September 1, 2007.
Lifting off with an A330, the airline quickly upgraded the route with a larger wide-body Boeing 777 aircraft as demand grew and grew.
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Today, the airline says more than 2.5m passengers have flown between the North East and Dubai since the route began, saying it has no plans to stop.
Richard Jewsbury, Emirates Divisional Vice President in the UK, said it looked forward to "continuing" operations for many years to come.
He said: “Fifteen years marks a significant milestone for Emirates and Newcastle International Airport.
"We are delighted to celebrate this longstanding relationship and look forward to continue providing our world-class services in the region following increased demand post pandemic.”
The introduction of the airline’s Boeing 777, boasting impressive cargo capabilities, has also resulted in a significant increase in exports from the region, driving even more growth and investment from the North East.
Since restarting services in October 2021, Emirates has already returned to a five weekly operation, operating on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, departing Newcastle at 9.10pm and arriving into Dubai at 7.25am the following day.
At the end of October 2022, Emirates will be moving to an earlier departure time of 1pm, arriving into Dubai just after midnight the following day.
Richard Knight, Chief Operating Officer at Newcastle International Airport said: “Emirates’ scheduled flights to Dubai are very popular among travellers from the North East and we are pleased to see this service is continuing to grow as we celebrate 15 years in partnership with the airline.
"Emirates is a key airline for Newcastle International Airport and, via Dubai, opens connections to destinations around the world to North East travellers.
"These connections also benefit the North East’s exports, providing businesses across the region with the opportunity to quickly reach global customers.”
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