Emirates expands flight services to meet growing demand in Madagascar

Policy

Michael Doersam Chief Financial & Group Services Officer | Emirates Airline

By Sky Industry News

Jan 15, 2025

Emirates has announced an increase in its flight services to Madagascar, responding to the high demand for travel between Antananarivo and Dubai. The announcement was made at a press conference in Antananarivo, organized by Madagascar’s Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Tourism, and Emirates.

Since launching flights last year, Emirates has seen strong demand for its services on this route. Currently operating four weekly flights near full capacity, the airline will now offer two additional flights per week. This expansion aims to support Madagascar's efforts to boost visitor arrivals and provide more options for travelers.

Essa Sulaiman Ahmad, Emirates’ Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations for West Asia and Indian Ocean stated: “We are pleased to boost our services to Madagascar by offering two additional flights per week in line with soaring demand for travel since the start of operations." He added that the increased connectivity would strengthen economic ties between Madagascar and the UAE by supporting leisure and business travel as well as trade lanes with extra cargo capacity.

Get the Newsletter

Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News

By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

To accommodate seasonal demand, Emirates had temporarily increased its service from four to five weekly flights. The new schedule will operate every day except Mondays, linking Dubai and Antananarivo via Mahe.

His Excellency Dr Manambahoaka Valéry F. Ramonjavelo, Minister of Transport and Meteorology noted: “Since February 2024, we have accelerated the strengthening of trust between the United Arab Emirates and Madagascar.” He emphasized that increasing flight frequencies is a sign of confidence in Madagascar as a tourism destination.

Viviane Dewa, Minister of Tourism and Handicrafts expressed optimism about reaching one million tourists by 2028 through improved air connectivity. She said: “The arrival of Emirates...has been a breath of fresh air for our tourism sector.”

Emirates continues to promote Madagascar as a top leisure destination globally. It has organized familiarization trips for travel agencies from major markets like France, UK, China, Japan among others. The airline reports strong inbound demand from countries including UAE and Sri Lanka while outbound travelers from Madagascar primarily visit destinations such as Dubai and Seychelles.

Tickets are available through various channels including emirates.com and travel agencies worldwide.