Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009
Gulf News
Emirates serves key African oil nation as flights to Luanda come on stream
Dubai Emirates' 18th destination in Africa, oil-producing Angola, came on stream yesterday with the launch of flights to Luanda.
Among the delegation joining the inaugural flight from Dubai were Nigel Page, Emirates senior vice-president, commercial operations, Americas and Africa; Rui Mangueira, the Angolan Ambassador to the UAE; Julio Maiato, Angola's Consul General in Dubai, and Salah Sharaf, director general of the Sharaf Group.
The three-a-week service means Emirates now serves Africa's two biggest oil exporters. The award winning carrier has been serving Nigeria since 2004 and went twice daily to Lagos in February.
The new non-stop air link also comes at a time of aggressive trade growth between Dubai and Angola. In 2004, non-oil trade was about $64 million (Dh235 million), according to statistics from Dubai World, the Dubai government's investment arm.
Last year that figure leapt to more than $800 million, reflecting the explosive growth of more than 1,200 per cent.
Steady development
Angola's Transport Minister Augusto da Silva Tomás said: "In a global world where physical distances still exist, a flight connection between two steadily developing countries enhances the potential for the growth of both nations.
"The reputation of Emirates and the preference of Angola as one of the main destinations in Africa demonstrates the enormous interest Angola is provoking worldwide."
An Airbus A330-200 will fly to Luanda on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Arranged in a three-class configuration, EK 791 will leave Dubai at 10am and touch down in Luanda at 3:10pm.
The return flight EK792 leaves Luanda at 6pm and lands in Dubai at 4.50am the following day.
Page said: "This is a key moment for Emirates in Africa. I want to thank the Angolan authorities in both the UAE and Angola for the assistance they have provided. Without their support, this new service would not have been possible.
"We'd also like to thank the hundreds of travellers who have already booked to travel with us. Our first flight from Dubai was almost full, which added to the great atmosphere on board as we headed towards our 18th point in Africa." Angola is around five times the size of the UK and lies on the Atlantic coast of south-central Africa.
It is the continent's second largest oil exporter after Nigeria.
Natural resources
The new route will help support the nation's oil-led boom, emerging tourism market and heavy migrant worker traffic.
The country has four major ports along an expansive coastline and abundant natural resources.
Apart from oil, the country's trade includes diamonds, gold, iron, copper and uranium.
Luanda is the second African destination to be launched by Emirates this month. Flights to the 2010 Fifa World Cup host city of Durban began on October 1.
Staff Report
Gulf News 2009. All rights reserved.
