Emirates Takes Off For Bangkok With New Plane

MEDIA RELEASE
2 May 2005

EMIRATES TAKES OFF FOR BANGKOK FROM AUCKLAND WITH NEW PLANE

Emirates, the Dubai-based international airline, today marked its new EK419 Auckland to Bangkok route with the first commercial flight of a Boeing 777-300ER from Auckland.

The Ambassador of Thailand, His Excellency Mr Norachit Sinhaseni, got a sneak preview of the Emirates' First Class travel experience when he visited the brand-new aircraft prior to its departure this afternoon.

On the route, Emirates operates its new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, one of the first of 30 such aircraft that Emirates has ordered for its growing fleet. Onboard features include: luxurious flat beds with privacy partitions and personal minibars in First Class, generous legroom in Business Class, and Emirates' unique information, communications and entertainment (ICE) system installed in all classes, which provides passengers with email and SMS from the comfort of their seats, as well and 500 channels of video, real-time news headlines, audio and games on demand.

Richard Vaughan, Emirates' Senior Vice President Commercial Operations East Asia and Australasia, said: "We are delighted to offer our customers in Bangkok and New Zealand a new daily direct air connection, and we believe the service will bring business and tourism benefits to both countries. This new air link is particularly well-timed given the recent New Zealand?Thailand trade deal which will boost business and mark a growing relationship between the two countries."

Tony Smith, New Zealand Representative for the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said: "The Emirates service will provide a great stimulus to tourism between the two countries and is very much welcomed right now when we are trying to encourage tourists to return to Phuket and other areas within Thailand."

The Tourism Authority of Thailand in conjunction with the Thailand Hotel Association is bringing a roadshow to Auckland on Monday, 16 May. Around 65 hotels, resorts and operators will attend with many from the Krabi and Phuket regions.

To mark the launch of its new service through Bangkok, Emirates Airline is offering one night's free accommodation in Bangkok for passengers traveling on the new flight from Auckland to anywhere on its network beyond the Thai capital, from today to 30 June 2005.

Emirates' First and Business Class passengers taking the opportunity of a stopover will enjoy a complimentary one-night-in-Bangkok at the Shangri-La Hotel. Travellers flying Emirates' Economy Class will enjoy a free one-night stay at the centrally-located Holiday Inn Silom.*

* Terms and conditions apply on the above offer. For further information please contact your local travel agent.

Flight details

* Emirates Boeing 777-300ER aircraft has three-class configuration on the Auckland-Sydney-Bangkok-Dubai route, offering 12, 42 and 310 seats in first, business and economy classes respectively, plus 23 tonnes of bellyhold space for cargo.

* Flight EK 419 takes off from Auckland at 3.50pm daily, arriving in Sydney at 5.15pm (local time). It departs from Sydney at 6.45pm, arriving in Bangkok at 1am the next morning. The flight then departs Bangkok at 2.30am to arrive in Dubai at 5.35am (local time).

* EK418 departs Dubai International Airport at 9am, arriving in Bangkok at 6.10pm, before flying onward to Australia at 7.50pm, to land in Sydney at 7.45 the next morning. It departs Sydney at 9.15am, arriving in Auckland at 2.15pm.

ENDS

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