February 4, 2006: Dubai state-owned Emirates Airlines will launch services to Sao Paulo from October, making it the first Gulf carrier to commence services into the Latin American market. Starting October 1, Emirates will debut six-a-week non-stop services to Sao Paulo and Brazil.

The almost 15-hour flights will be the first-ever non-stop service between South America and the Middle East. This will also allow the carrier to connect Latin America on to its 14 destinations in the Middle East, and routes to Far East and Indian sub-continent. The links would be serviced by a direct connection to South America via Dubai.

The President of Dubai Civil Aviation, and Chairman and CEO of Emirates Group Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum said, "We are delighted to launch our first Latin American destination when we take delivery of our first 777-200LR."

He also added that Sao Paulo is the commercial heart of Brazil and a key financial and industrial centre in Latin America, and Dubai, the Middle East's premium hub for business and tourism this new link will stimulate more trade and tourism between the two economies and be well acknowledged by business and free-time travellers.

The carrier will shove on with its go-getting expansion plans regardless of the 22-month delay of its order for 43 Airbus A380 super jumbo aircraft.
Starting this summer, the carrier intends to fly its new fleet of Boeing 777-200LR aircraft six-days-a-week from Dubai to the commercial centres of Brazil.

Departure of Flight EK261 from Dubai will be at 09:30 am daily except Thursday, and will reach Sao Paulo by 6 pm. From Sao Paulo, flight EK262 will depart at 1:25 am daily, except Friday, and arrive in Dubai at 11:05pm.

Experts and professionals were of opinion that this is a prelude to a move to further expand to the Americas this year, with Toronto, Canada, and Buenos Aires, Argentina, as likely destinations. At present, Emirates serves the region with daily direct service to New York.

Emirates' fleet of new long range Boeing 777s offer eight private suites in first class, 42 lie-flat seats in business class, and 216 passenger seats in economy class. The aircraft have capacity to carry up to 18 tonne of cargo.

Passengers in all classes are served meals prepared by Epicurean chefs recruited from over 100 countries. Added to this Emirates' information, communication, entertainment (ICE) system, which tender a selection of over 600 channels of entertainment on demand; and the ability to send and receive e-mail and text messages from their in-seat entertainment system.