Emirates expands services at Birmingham Airport
AIRLINE Emirates has increased passenger capacity at Birmingham International Airport by 22% with the introduction of larger aircraft.
From today (Wednesday) the award-winning airline will be operating a Boeing 777-300ER on both of its two daily services to Dubai.
The new 442-seat extended range aeroplane will operate on its evening flight – offering 78 more seats per day than the aircraft previously flying the route.
The newer aircraft, which will be able to accommodate 42 Business Class passengers, will be complete with the airline’s ICE (information, communication, entertainment) system, which offers passengers in all cabin classes a choice of up to 1,200 channels of the latest movies, TV programming, music and games on demand.
Business Class passengers will also benefit from the airline’s new £1.3m executive lounge. The facility, which opened in March, is the first dedicated lounge to be offered by a long-haul airline at BIA.
The lounge offers luxurious facilities including leather armchairs, gourmet dining, a complimentary bar service, full shower facilities and a well-equipped business centre.
The airline said the introduction of the larger aircraft, along with the lounge facility, reaffirmed its commitment to further developing operations at Birmingham Airport.
The support is important as the expanded service is introduced on the same day that the airline launches its Airbus A380 service from Manchester.
Emirates now offers nearly 900 seats to Dubai across its two daily services from BIA. The service is considered vital to the region’s business community as it provides an important gateway not just to Dubai but to 100 onward destinations around the globe, many in the Far East.
The airport said it was delighted the airline was prepared to make such a commitment to the Midlands.
The new 777-300ER aircraft will operate on the EK038 flight, which departs daily from Birmingham at 21.20, arriving in Dubai at 07.20 the following morning. Emirates’ second daily flight, already operated by a Boeing 777-300ER, departs from Birmingham at 14.15, arriving Dubai at 00.15 the following morning.
