Emirates to connect Oslo to its global network

Airline to serve third Scandinavian gateway from 2nd September

HARARE - Emirates, a global enabler of business and trade, will expand its European network with a new daily flight to Oslo, Norway, from 2nd September 2014 marking its third Scandinavian gateway.  

Operated by a Boeing 777-300ER, the daily service will offer three cabin classes with eight seats in First Class, 42 seats in Business Class and 310 seats in Economy Class. Emirates' customers in Norway will enjoy the convenience of a non-stop connection to Dubai, one of the world's most exciting destinations for business and tourism, and convenient onward flight schedules to reach over 21 passenger destinations in the Far East and Australasia, 15 destinations in West Asia, 3 destinations in the Indian Ocean and 10 destinations in the Middle East. Among the most popular destinations for Norwegians include Bangkok, Phuket, Singapore, Manila, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong.  Customers will also be able to experience the Emirates' flagship A380, connecting to 11 destinations in the Far East, Australasia and Indian Ocean.

"Norway's resilient economy is built on strong foundations including its dynamic oil, gas, fishing, telecom and maritime sectors. We believe that Emirates' new Oslo service will stimulate further growth via trade, tourism and investment flows into the country, by providing critical air transport links with emerging markets in the Middle East, Far East, West Asia and Africa.  We also look forward to introducing new audiences to Oslo and drawing in visitors from a host of points across the global network including the UAE and destinations further East such as India, Pakistan, Thailand, China and Vietnam," said Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline.

Oslo ranks as the fastest-growing capital in Europe, and is home to diverse ethnic communities from Pakistan, Iraq, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, India, Afghanistan and China.

Norway is Europe's largest oil producer, the world's second largest natural gas exporter, and is an important supplier of both oil and natural gas to other European countries. The country ranks fourth in natural gas production globally, according to the US Energy Information Administration. The country also is the world's second largest seafood exporter, with over 2.1 million tonnes of seafood shipped globally in 2013.

The country is also known for its strong shipping sector, and has the fourth largest shipping fleet in the world. Oslo is at the centre of its maritime industry. The city boasts almost 2,000 maritime companies, and has also become a flourishing cruise hub, with more than 588,000 cruise passengers visiting Norway in 2012.

Emirates' new daily service between Dubai and Oslo is expected to strengthen the trade ties which have grown between the UAE and Norway in recent years. Trade volumes between two countries totaled over US $277 million in 2011 according to the UAE Ministry of Trade.  The UAE Ministry of Economy recently reported that there are 17 Norwegian registered trade companies, 38 trade agencies and 244 registered trademarks currently operating and contributing to the growing trade volumes between the two countries.  
Emirates employs 28 Norwegian nationals, including 17 pilots.  As one of the most admired airline brands in the industry, and possessing a strong business model that has delivered consistent growth and profits, it is no surprise that Emirates attracts the best talent from over 160 countries.  In 2013, Emirates received over 76,000 employment applications from Europe alone, across all disciplines.

In addition to passenger operations, Emirates SkyCargo will offer 23 tonnes of cargo capacity between the two cities. Popular commodities are expected to be; oil and gas equipment, maritime and ship spares, pharmaceuticals, seafood, chemicals, electronics, telecommunication equipment, machinery, dairy products and fruits and vegetables bound for markets like Vietnam, China and Taiwan.

Emirates new daily flight to Oslo will depart Dubai as EK159 at 0700hrs* and arrives at Oslo Airport, Gardermoen at 1210hrs*. The return flight, EK160 will depart at 1355hrs* and arrives at Dubai International Airport at 2250hrs*.

Throughout all cabin classes, passengers can enjoy over 1,600 channels of entertainment on demand on ice, the airline's award-winning in-flight entertainment system.  Passengers on all Emirates' flights also have generous baggage allowances with 30 kilogrammes for those travelling in Economy Class, 40 kilogrammes for Business Class and 50 kilogrammes for First Class.

Emirates' launch of Oslo will follow the launch of Kano and Abuja in Nigeria on 1st  August and Chicago on 5th August.

*Flight times are as per summer scheduling