Emirates Boosts Australian Connectivity to Brisbane and Perth

Emirates, renowned as the world's largest international airline, has announced significant enhancements to its Australian operations. Starting 1 October, the airline will upgrade its second daily flight EK430/431 between Dubai and Brisbane to an A380. Additionally, a second daily service between Dubai and Perth, operated by a Boeing 777-300ER, will commence from 1 December.

The decision to deploy the A380 for the second Brisbane flight underscores Emirates' commitment to offering an elevated travel experience. The outbound flight EK430 will leave Dubai at 0230hrs and reach Brisbane at 2220hrs local time. The return flight EK431 from Brisbane will take off at 0155hrs, arriving in Dubai at 1005hrs. This upgrade will significantly increase passenger capacity, allowing up to 100,000 extra passengers per year to travel between Queensland and Europe, Brisbane's second busiest international destination.

Emirates' bolstered service to Perth is equally noteworthy. The additional flight, EK424, will depart Dubai at 0915hrs and arrive in Perth at 0005hrs the next day. The return flight, EK425, leaves Perth at 0600hrs and lands in Dubai at 1310hrs. These expanded operations reflect Emirates' dedication to supporting tourism and trade growth in Australia and enhancing global connectivity to its Australian gateways.

Barry Brown, Emirates’ Divisional Vice President Australasia, expressed enthusiasm about offering more choices for Australians traveling from Brisbane and Perth. He emphasized the airline's focus on convenient schedules and comfortable connections through Dubai, catering to diverse business, leisure, and cultural needs.

Gert-Jan de Graaff, Brisbane Airport's CEO, praised Emirates for its commitment to reducing noise impacts on the local community and highlighted the airline's significant role in connecting people between Queensland and Europe. Meanwhile, Western Australian Government Acting Tourism Minister, John Carey, acknowledged the positive impact of additional direct aviation services on tourism, visitor spending, and job creation in the tourism and hospitality industries.

Perth Airport’s Chief Operating Officer, Scott Woodward, welcomed the reintroduction of Emirates’ second daily service, noting the substantial addition of 250,000 seats per year on this popular route. This service underscores the airline's confidence in the Western Australian market and is expected to bring numerous international visitors to the region.

The upgraded A380 operations to Brisbane and the resumed second service to Perth will collectively increase Emirates' weekly capacity to Australia by an additional 6,900 seats. This expansion will meet the growing demand for international travel via Dubai and connect to Emirates’ extensive global network spanning over 140 destinations.

Customers flying from Brisbane to popular destinations like the UK, Italy, France, Turkey, Pakistan, and Egypt will benefit from the increased seat capacity due to the double daily A380 services. The additional connectivity provided by the second daily flight between Dubai and Perth will offer seamless and convenient travel options to Emirates’ gateways in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.

The Queensland government’s Attracting Aviation Investment Fund played a crucial role in enabling Emirates’ second Brisbane service on the Boeing 777-300ER from June 2023. The upgrade to the A380 will further enhance travel and business opportunities in Queensland.

Currently, Emirates operates 63 weekly flights to Australia, serving Brisbane, Perth, Sydney, and Melbourne with a combination of A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft. This includes the recently announced doubling of its Premium Economy offering on flights to Melbourne from 1 February, complementing the two daily four-class A380 services to Sydney.

Emirates’ passengers can look forward to an unmatched in-flight experience, featuring regionally inspired multi-course menus, a wide selection of premium beverages, and up to 6,500 channels of global entertainment content on Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment system, ice. This expansion signifies Emirates’ ongoing commitment to enhancing its services and fostering greater global connectivity.