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(From The Press, NZ)
Dubai-based Emirates Air announced yesterday it will start flying to Christchurch from June 10, offering a three-day-a-week service to Melbourne and then on to Dubai.
Competition is heating up in New Zealand's sky, with the budget operator Pacific Blue now operating, and Singapore Airlines, Qantas and Air New Zealand also all boosting services to the South Island this year.
Korean Air has also started flying into Christchurch again after an absence sparked by the downturn in passenger numbers after the terrorist attacks in the United States.
Emirates plans to bump up the service to six days a week from August in time for the summer season.
His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of Emirates Group, said Christchurch was an "exciting" destination for Emirates passengers.
"Our Christchurch service will provide excellent connections for New Zealand passengers travelling to Australia, and onward to Europe, Africa or Middle Eastern cities via our Dubai hub. Similarly, it will bring our customers from other parts of the world another speedy and convenient route to New Zealand."
The Sheikh said New Zealand was an increasingly popular destination for leisure travellers from Europe and the Middle East, and Christchurch offered a multitude of options for outdoor and sporting activities with a backdrop of scenic mountains, rivers, lakes and beaches.
Emirates manager of New Zealand and the Pacific Islands Chris Lethbridge said the airline's standard fares were $399 return to Melbourne and $2299 return to destinations in Europe including London, Paris, Glasgow and Moscow.
Mr Lethbridge said there were likely to be introductory specials, and he was undeterred by the competition on the Tasman.
Emirates has resisted the urge to go down the well-trodden budget airline route and still offers passengers a full service.
Mr Lethbridge said: "At $399 return to Melbourne, we're very competitive. We don't ever worry about the competition," he said.
Mr Lethbridge has been in Christchurch to talk to freight-forwarding businesses and said there was strong interest from exporters.
The airline will use a new long-range Airbus A340-500 aircraft which can carry 17 tonnes of freight.
The aircraft carries 258 passengers in first class, business and economy sections.
Christchurch International Airport chief executive George Bellew said he was delighted to welcome Emirates to Christchurch.
Meanwhile, Christchurch International Airport has been on a roll and yesterday reported a record 28 per cent increase in domestic passenger numbers during February.
Yesterday Qantas began new Boeing 737 jet services to Wellington and Rotorua and an additional daily service from Christchurch to Queenstown.
Dubai-based Emirates Air announced yesterday it will start flying to Christchurch from June 10, offering a three-day-a-week service to Melbourne and then on to Dubai.
Competition is heating up in New Zealand's sky, with the budget operator Pacific Blue now operating, and Singapore Airlines, Qantas and Air New Zealand also all boosting services to the South Island this year.
Korean Air has also started flying into Christchurch again after an absence sparked by the downturn in passenger numbers after the terrorist attacks in the United States.
Emirates plans to bump up the service to six days a week from August in time for the summer season.
His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of Emirates Group, said Christchurch was an "exciting" destination for Emirates passengers.
"Our Christchurch service will provide excellent connections for New Zealand passengers travelling to Australia, and onward to Europe, Africa or Middle Eastern cities via our Dubai hub. Similarly, it will bring our customers from other parts of the world another speedy and convenient route to New Zealand."
The Sheikh said New Zealand was an increasingly popular destination for leisure travellers from Europe and the Middle East, and Christchurch offered a multitude of options for outdoor and sporting activities with a backdrop of scenic mountains, rivers, lakes and beaches.
Emirates manager of New Zealand and the Pacific Islands Chris Lethbridge said the airline's standard fares were $399 return to Melbourne and $2299 return to destinations in Europe including London, Paris, Glasgow and Moscow.
Mr Lethbridge said there were likely to be introductory specials, and he was undeterred by the competition on the Tasman.
Emirates has resisted the urge to go down the well-trodden budget airline route and still offers passengers a full service.
Mr Lethbridge said: "At $399 return to Melbourne, we're very competitive. We don't ever worry about the competition," he said.
Mr Lethbridge has been in Christchurch to talk to freight-forwarding businesses and said there was strong interest from exporters.
The airline will use a new long-range Airbus A340-500 aircraft which can carry 17 tonnes of freight.
The aircraft carries 258 passengers in first class, business and economy sections.
Christchurch International Airport chief executive George Bellew said he was delighted to welcome Emirates to Christchurch.
Meanwhile, Christchurch International Airport has been on a roll and yesterday reported a record 28 per cent increase in domestic passenger numbers during February.
Yesterday Qantas began new Boeing 737 jet services to Wellington and Rotorua and an additional daily service from Christchurch to Queenstown.
