Dubai-Chennai Emirates service from Sept.1

By T.S. Shankar

CHENNAI, AUG. 26. The Dubai-Chennai-Dubai, four-times a week flight to be introduced by the Emirates from September 1 will become the 12th overseas service operated out of the Anna International Airport.

Emirates, international airline of the UAE has announced its plans to operate from Chennai on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday with an Airbus-310 aircraft, offering 18 first class, 25 business class and 131 economy class seats.

According to the Chennai Airport Director, Mr. Sudhir Kumar, the total number of foreign airlines operating out of Chennai will increase from 11 to 13 by the year-end, with the Emirates Airlines beginning its direct four-times-a-week service to Dubai from September 1 and the proposed commencement of a weekly link to Mauritius by Air Mauritius.

Striking an optimistic note on the growing trend in both passenger traffic and aircraft movement in and out of Chennai, the Airport Director, Mr. Sudhir Kumar, said that the Kamaraj Domestic Airport handled 1.9 million passenger traffic in 1999- 2000 and 1.7 million passenger traffic at the Anna International terminal during the same year.

``Chennai, the gateway to South India, is not only growing as a vital hub but getting increased attention from global airline operators which is a positive sign of growth'', the Airport Director, said adding that the projected growth in the domestic passenger traffic for 2000-2001 was expected to touch 2 million while the international passenger movement was expected to cross 1.9 million during the same year.

Meanwhile, sources in the Emirates Airlines here said the Dubai- Chennai-Dubai link would offer convenient onward connections to Europe and West-bound destinations.

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Section  : National
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