Emirates celebrates 10 years of successful operations in Thiruvananthapuram

(WAM) Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, marked 10 years of operations in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala. Over the last decade, Thiruvananthapuram has emerged as an important passenger and cargo destination for the airline in the region. Since the start of its operations, Emirates carried over two million passengers on the route and moved up to 105,000 tonnes of cargo to and from Thiruvananthapuram. "Southern India has always been a key market for Emirates and we are proud to complete 10 years of successful operations to Thiruvananthapuram. We’ve had healthy seat load factors on the route since we launched the service in 2006, demonstrating passengers’ demand for Emirates’ unique product and service and our commitment to the market," said Ahmed Khoory, Emirates’ Senior Vice President Commercial Operations- West Asia and Indian Ocean. "Whether for leisure, business or medical tourism, the state of Kerala remains one of the most popular destinations in India, attracting travellers from all around the world throughout the year. With 12 weekly flights and 17 tonnes of cargo capacity per flight, Emirates continues to facilitate inbound travel to India, strengthen trade links and connect passengers in Thiruvananthapuram to our expansive global network," he added. Located a few miles from the Arabian Sea, Thiruvananthapuram is an ideal gateway to India’s traditional Ayurvedic treatments and palm-fringed beaches of the Southern coastline. With a trading history that goes back a thousand years, Thiruvananthapuram is a melting pot of civilisations, all of which have left their mark- from brightly-coloured churches and hill-top palaces to colonial-housed museums and delectable cuisine. Emirates also operates chartered freighters to and from Thiruvananthapuram to meet the market demand during local festivals like Kerala’s harvest festival, Onam and the Malayalam New Year celebration, Vishu. Emirates’ Boeing 777 freighter aircraft is capable of carrying 103 tonnes of cargo, with its main deck being the widest of any aircraft, enabling it to uplift outsized cargo and carry larger consignments. Emirates completed 30 years of operations in India in 2015, and has since grown its operations to serve 10 destinations[i] in the country. It is now the third-largest international carrier serving India, operating 10.4 per cent of international capacity in the market. According to a recent study released by the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), Emirates' operations in India have contributed over $848 million annually to country's GDP while supporting over 86,000 Indian jobs and generating almost $1.7 billion in foreign exchange earnings.