Air travellers wanting to take a cultural break when flying to or from the United States will soon be able to enjoy a stop-off at the ancient Greek capital of Athens.
Emirates will launch a new daily service from Dubai to Newark Liberty International Airport via the Greek capital city starting on March 12.
The new route adds to Emirates' existing four daily flights between Dubai and New York's JFK airport, by offering global travellers with another convenient access point to the popular New York metropolitan area.
Emirates’ new Dubai-Athens-Newark flight will also provide a year-round non-stop daily service between the United States and Greece – a service that does not exist today and has not existed since 2012. The airline will operate a wide-body Boeing 777-300ER on the route, offering eight seats in first, 42 in business and 304 in economy class, as well as 19 tonnes of belly-hold cargo capacity.
“We are pleased to be able to help meet a strong consumer need long neglected by other airlines, and we would like to thank the authorities and our partners in both the US and Greece for their support of the new route,” said Sir Tim Clark, the president of Emirates Airline.
“We also expect tourism to receive a major boost from the availability of daily flights year-round.”
Elena Kountoura, the minister of tourism of the Hellenic Republic said: “This strategic choice substantially supports our efforts at the ministry of tourism to enhance the already increasing flow of visitors to Greece from the United States and the UAE on a yearly basis, travelling either for leisure or business purposes.”
In addition, the expected increase in tourism numbers will provide a boost for Greece’s battered economy, still wrangling with the IMF over the next tranche of its bailout.
“Greece’s economic comeback is going to have to include year round tourism and easier business travel. The new Emirates route makes this possible,” said Endy Zemenides, the executive director of the Hellenic American Leadership Council.
The US is home to the largest overseas Greek community in the world, numbering approximately 1.3 million, and the New York City metropolitan area has the largest community of Greek Americans in the country, according to Emirates.
Emirates operates one of the youngest and most modern fleets in the sky, with an average fleet age of just 61 months, compared to the industry average of 140 months.
Emirates flight EK209 will depart Dubai at 10:50 local time, arriving in Athens at 14:25 before departing again at 16:40 and arriving into Newark at 22:00 on the same day. The return flight EK210 will depart Newark at 23:45 local time, arriving in Athens the next day at 15:05. EK210 will depart once again from Athens at 17:10 bound for Dubai where it will arrive at 23:50.
cnelson@thenational.ae
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