DUBAI, 15 January — Emirates’ first flight for Perth will take off from Dubai at 2.35 in the morning of Aug. 2, forging the first-ever non-stop link between the Gulf and Australia and a fast, one-stop service from Europe. Geoff Gallop, premier of Western Australia (WA), Australia’s largest state, made the announcement of the confirmed start-up date in Perth, the WA capital, recently. Emirates has confirmed the schedule. Flight number EK420 Dubai-Perth will be operated with a Boeing 777-200 aircraft with 18 first, 49 business and 236 economy class seats and will depart Dubai every Monday Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 2.35 am, arriving in Perth at 5:25 pm, a flight time of 10 hours and 50 minutes. Return flight, EK421, will be operated on the same days, departing Perth at 10:30 pm and arriving Dubai at 5.40 am the following morning. Both Emirates and the WA Government are confident that the new service will boost leisure travel and trade links between the Gulf and Western Australia and provide improved access between Perth and key European destinations. Services to Perth will open up the large Western Australian agricultural market to Gulf customers. Manufactured goods are expected to account for most imports.
Emirates flights from every single one of its 14 European destinations arrive in Dubai with a convenient connection time for the Perth service. Those from seven European cities offer a connection time of less than two hours. Emirates Chairman, HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, commented: “Emirates has played a major role in the dramatic growth of trade and leisure travel links between the Gulf and Australia. I’m delighted to see these developments continue. These new flights will benefit passengers in three regions - the Middle East, Australia and Europe - by providing a non-stop service between the Dubai and Australia and a fast, one-stop service between Australia and Europe.” In a recent statement, Premier Geoff Gallop said: “This new service is part of our plan to bring more visitors to the state and to develop international infrastructure and new markets in the Indian Ocean region. This is a great win for the state in terms of tourism and product export.”
