Emirates expands flight services in Africa amid growing demand

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Emirates expands flight services in Africa amid growing demand

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HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum Chairman & Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group | Emirates Airline

By Sky Industry News

Oct 31, 2024

Emirates, the world's largest international airline, has announced an expansion of its operations across Africa. The airline will introduce additional flights to Entebbe in Uganda, Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, and Johannesburg in South Africa. This move is part of Emirates' strategy to enhance connectivity and support the development of air transport markets on the continent.

Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer stated, "Africa has long been a priority region for Emirates, and we will deepen our strategic focus of expansion and continued investment on the continent." He added that these additional frequencies would help support regional growth by providing critical links through Dubai to emerging economies in Asia and the Middle East.

Starting October 27th, Emirates increased its flights between Dubai and Uganda from five weekly services to daily operations. This change adds 718 seats weekly between Dubai-Entebbe. In addition to passenger services, Emirates SkyCargo will benefit from these additional flights alongside its eight dedicated freighters deployed weekly.

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Further expansions include a daily flight connecting Dubai with Addis Ababa starting January 1st, 2025. By March 1st, 2025, a fourth daily flight will be introduced between Dubai and Johannesburg. Once implemented, Emirates will operate 161 weekly flights between African destinations and Dubai.

The airline’s extensive network includes partnerships with various airlines across Africa enabling broader regional reach. These collaborations allow travelers access to numerous regional points through one-ticket travel options. Notably, an interline agreement with Royal Air Maroc enhances connectivity within Morocco.

Emirates recently resumed direct daily flights to Lagos in Nigeria's economic hub offering First Class service options there as well as at other select locations like Entebbe. The expanded passenger services are expected to complement cargo operations enhancing capacity management across different markets.