10 October 2003
EMIRATES FIRMLY ESTABLISHED IN NZ WITH NEW AUCKLAND OFFICES
Award-winning, Dubai-based international airline Emirates opened new offices in Auckland today and declared itself not
only here to stay, but here to grow.
"The move to new, larger premises in the heart of Auckland's downtown CBD represents the very firm cementing of
Emirates' presence in New Zealand and gives us room to expand," said the airline's senior vice president commercial for
West Asia and the Pacific, Keith Longstaff, in Auckland for the official opening of the offices.
"We are both a service-oriented and growth-oriented airline.
"We started services to Auckland with 14 flights a week and by the end of the month that frequency will have increased
to 21, with the addition of flights through Brisbane as well as Sydney and Melbourne to Dubai," he said. "This no token
offering ? more than 1000 seats and around 75 tonnes of cargo capacity a day in each direction makes us a serious
competitor, both on the Tasman routes and to Dubai and Europe."
Mr Longstaff said Emirates now flies to 70 destinations in 50 countries.
"We have had a very encouraging start in New Zealand and, as business builds, we will look to add as many seats and
services as we can. Our combination of full service and fare value seems to be striking a chord with New Zealanders, who
want an alternative to the low cost airline model."
Emirates offers first, business and economy class on all of its New Zealand flights, with a choice of gourmet means and
a vast array of in-flight entertainment, and with travel in all classes providing points for members of the airline's
Skywards frequent flyer programme.
Mr Longstaff said Emirates had already raised the bar with the standard of service and facilities in all three classes
on its Boeing 777 flights and would redefine first class airtravel with the introduction of the latest four-engined
Airbus A340-500 long-haul aircraft on the Auckland-Sydney-Dubai route from the beginning of December. Emirates has won
more than 250 awards for its service.
The new office, headed by New Zealand country manager Chris Lethbridge, is situated in Tower Building on the corner of
Queen and Customs Streets. Bookings on Emirates can be made at the office, or on the website www.emirates.com/nz or by
calling 0508 EMIRATES or travel agents.
ends
Issued for Emirates by Professional Public Relations NZ Contact: Bob Wallace (09) 979 2000 or 029 979 2000, or
rwallace@ppr.co.nz
About Emirates
Emirates, the Dubai-based international airline, was established in 1985 and has received more than 250 international
awards. In 2003 alone it has been voted Runner-Up Airline of the Year, Best Economy and Best Airline to the Middle East
from Skytrax Research, and Passenger Service Airline of the Year from Air Transport World, USA, among others.
Emirates announced the largest order in aviation history at the 2003 Paris Air Show, when it added 71 new Airbus and
Boeing aircraft worth US$19 billion to its fast-growing fleet. It is now the main launch customer for two innovative
ultra-modern aircraft ? the Airbus A340-600 HGW and Airbus A380 double-decker super-jumbo.
The airline's current fleet is comprised of 53 aircraft - a mix of Airbus A330-200s, Boeing 777-300s, 777-200s and
747-200/400Fs, with an average age of three years, the youngest in the skies. In 2006 Emirates will receive the first of
45 Airbus A380 double-decker super-jumbos on order, and over the next decade it expects to more than double its fleet
size.
Financially independent, Emirates is among the world's fastest-growing airlines. It is also one of the world's five most
profitable and 20 largest international airlines. It offers services to 70 cities in 50 countries in Europe, Middle
East, Africa, Indian subcontinent and Asia-Pacific. It recently started services to Moscow and to Auckland and is set to
inaugurate services to two other new destinations this year - Brisbane and Lagos - and add non-stop flights to North
America in April 2004.
Besides the airline, the Emirates Group includes Emirates Holidays, Arabian Adventures destination management company,
Al Maha Desert Resort, Emirates SkyCargo, Dnata, Mercator, Transguard and Galileo.
ENDS -