Emirates boosts Germany flights

Emirates is launching extra frequencies to Frankfurt and is upgrading one of its Munich flights to an A380 superjumbo, citing passenger demand as an instigator.

The new, daily Frankfurt flight will take effect during the next winter schedule, making the city a triple daily service. Slot times have yet to be confirmed.

Meanwhile, from January 1, 2012, the airline’s morning service to Munich will be upgraded to a superjumbo.

“A third daily flight to Frankfurt and the German-built A380 serving Munich is another positive step in what is now a multi-billion dollar relationship between Emirates and Germany, supporting thousands of German jobs,” said Salem Obaidalla, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Europe and Russian Federation.

“Meeting clear demand is of direct benefit to consumers, who want more choice, and to the German economy. We know international air services are a key driver of economic growth – facilitating the flow of business and cargo and opening up new markets to German exporters and importers,” he added.

Emirates is currently the biggest buyer of the Airbus superjumbo and one of the largest customers for the Airbus A350 aircraft. The A380 programme alone is estimated to provide at least 40,000 direct and indirect German jobs.

In addition to being the top purchaser of German products in the Arab world, the UAE is also Germany’s seventh biggest export market outside Europe. German exports to the UAE reached $8.4 billion in 2010.

Furthermore, the airline states it contributes more than $535 million into the German economy each year via its purchases of other German products and services, its direct expenditures in Germany, as well as marketing spend.