São Paulo – Emirates Airline, an airline in Dubai, announced on Tuesday (3) that it should receive 18 new aircraft this year, expanding the passenger transport capacity by 14% and cargo capacity by 17%. The company currently has 129 aircraft.
The company stated that it plans to expand the number of routes already served and also inaugurate new lines. There should be special attention to the Middle East and North Africa. According to the organisation, they are the two markets that grew most over the last 12 months, 6% and 17%, respectively.
The chairman of Emirates, Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, recognized, in a company press statement, that this year should not be easy for the air sector. "We are going to strengthen our presence in routes in which there is greater passenger demand. All the capacity expansion will be turned to markets in which we see growth potential, especially in Africa and the Middle East," he declared.
With the new aircraft, the Emirates fleet should gain capacity for another 8,635 passengers and 600 tonnes of cargo. Last year, 22 million people transported by the company walked the aisles of Dubai International Airport, the company hub. There was growth of 11% in comparison with 2007.
*Translated by Mark Ament
