Emirates to fly to Toronto five times a week instead of three, starting August 18

Emirates today announced that it will introduce two additional flights to its Toronto (YYZ) service, complementing its existing schedule and providing even more choice and convenience to travellers.

The additional Toronto flights will be introduced on August 18, 2018, and will operate on a Saturday departing Dubai as EK241 at 03:30 and arrive in Toronto at 09:30. The return flight, EK242, leaves Toronto at 14:25 and arrives in Dubai at 11:40 the next day. On Sundays, EK241 will depart at 03:30 and arrive in Toronto at 09:30. The return flight, EK242, will leave Toronto at 14:30 and arrives in Dubai at 11:25 the next day.* Both flights will be operated by the iconic Emirates A380 with private suites in First Class, lie-flat seats in Business Class and spacious seats in Economy Class.

Emirates recently celebrated 10 years of operations in Canada last October, demonstrating the airline’s ongoing commitment to the market. Over the past decade, Emirates introduced new aircraft on the route from a Boeing 777 in October 2007 to the flagship A380 in 2009. The A380 scheduled service increased passenger capacity on the Toronto service by 40% and since then, passenger occupancy on the route has been consistently full, averaging 90% with demand outstripping supply. The additional frequency will fulfil the strong demand on the route and add 65% capacity to the market.

Greater choice and connectivity

The additional flights will give travellers from Toronto and from across Emirates’ network, even more choice and connectivity when booking their travel via the Dubai hub. It will help to further boost inbound tourism for Canada and meet growing demand from travellers from key destinations in the United Arab Emirates, India, Pakistan, Iran, Bangladesh, South Africa and Saudi Arabia. Passengers from Canada will also be able to take advantage of the additional flights to travel to popular destinations like Dhaka, Kabul, Tehran, Karachi, Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Johannesburg. The additional flights will also unlock seamless connectivity to Emirates’ partner airline, FlyDubai’s robust regional network with conveniently timed connections to Ha’il, Dammam and Medina in Saudi Arabia; Najaf, Basra and Erbil in Iraq; Kuwait, Colombo, Dar-es-Salam and Bahrain.

As of June 5, UAE nationals no longer need a visa to travel to Canada for short stays. Emirates also has established codeshare partnerships in Canada with WestJet and Alaska Airlines, connecting travellers from across its global network to more Canadian cities and vice-versa. Reciprocally, Canadian nationals can receive a 30-day visa on arrival when visiting the UAE. Travellers looking to stop in Dubai before embarking on their onwards journey can avail the Dubai Stopover package, which includes sightseeing, short excursions and tours, hotel stays and much more. The packages aim to provide passengers with the opportunity to enjoy and maximise their holidays at an affordable rate.

Cargo carriage supports trade opportunities

According to the latest trade statistics, the UAE continues to be Canada’s largest export market in the Middle East and North Africa since 2005. Canadian exports to the UAE reached CA$1.6 billion in 2017, an increase of 41% over 2007, and its CA$1.4 billion trade surplus with the UAE was Canada’s fourth largest globally. In 2017 alone, bilateral trade between Canada and the UAE exceeded CA$1.79 billion, having grown by 54% since the two countries were first connected by direct air services by Emirates in 2007.

Emirates has been a key contributor to Canadian connectivity, trade, tourism and infrastructure over the years. Since the inaugural flight in October 2007, Emirates has carried over 1.4 million passengers through its Toronto – Dubai route. Emirates SkyCargo has also played an important role in connecting Canada to the world. In 2017, Emirates’ flights to and from Canada carried over 4,300 tonnes of cargo. Currently, major cargo imports include fruit, vegetables and fish. Major exports include pharmaceuticals, electronics, mining/drilling equipment, livestock, lobsters and courier services.

Dubai, July 30 2018