Emirates begins flights to Kozhikode

Emirates Airlines’ first flight to Kozhikode touched down to a warm welcome at Calicut International Airport this week. Kozhikode is Emirates’ tenth destination in India, making its India operation a total of 125 flights per week. This in fact is the highest frequency operated by an international carrier in India.

Emirates will operate six flights a week to Kozhikode – a key commercial and tourist gateway in the Southern Indian state of Kerala.   The Dubai-based airline currently operates flights to Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, and with the launch of direct services to Kozhikode travellers from across the world can fly to Kerala 24 times a week

Besides Kozhikode, Emirates has also launched six-flights-a-week service to Guangzhou, China’s third major air hub and leading manufacturing centre. Guangzhou is the airlines’ fourth destination in China and has increased its weekly frequencies to the country to 48 flights.

An Emirates official said that an estimated two million Keralites work and live in the Gulf region and travel home each year. “Emirates has a robust presence in the Gulf and Middle East, serving the region with 163 weekly flights to 12 gateways via its Dubai hub. We have timed our flights such that they offer convenient connections to Kozhikode via Dubai,” he said.

The launch of Emirates’ flights to Kozhikode is expected to allow international tourists to cover the length and breadth of Kerala more conveniently, by enabling them to arrive in Northern Kerala and depart from the state’s southern region or vice versa. Emirates will operate the technologically-advanced Boeing 777-200 and Airbus A330-200 aircraft in two-class configurations offering over 2000 seats and almost 100 tonnes of cargo capacity per week per direction.

Emirates has said that it would offer introductory fares of Rs 7,500 (one-way fare) and Rs. 14,995 (return fare) in Economy Class from Kozhikode to Dubai and Rs 30,000 for a Business Class return ticket to Dubai. The fare is valid till August 15.