Dubai-based carrier Emirates has revealed plans to add more than 1,600 seats a week to its Lusaka, Zambia and Harare, Zimbabwe routes from February 2013
The airline revealed that the move resulted from the fact that since February 2012, more than 55,000 passengers had travelled with Emirates on both routes.
Emirates said in a statement, a 354-seat Boeing 777-300ER, the longest passenger aircraft ever to touch down in both Lusaka and Harare, will replace a 237-seat Airbus A330-200 on the route which will lead to a capacity increase of more than 50 per cent.
Emirates senior vice-president for commercial operations in Africa, Jean Luc Grillet, said the services to these cities had come of age and with demand continuing to increase, this was the right time for the carrier to expand its capacity.
“With the introduction of this larger aircraft, we will offer almost 5,000 seats total every week on the route between Dubai, Lusaka and Harare,” he said.
Emirates’ key destinations for Zambian and Zimbabwean travellers include Dubai, Guangzhou, Beijing, Hong Kong and Bombay.
Grillet added, “Emirates constantly strives to deliver its passengers with the best service. The Boeing 777-300ER aircraft forms the backbone of Emirates’ fleet, and its introduction on the Lusaka and Harare route reflects our commitment to quality.”
