Emirates Starts Sialkot Services

Emirates has launched services to Sialkot, its fifth destination in Pakistan.

The Dubai carrier is operating four weekly flights on two-class Airbus A330-200 aircraft, with 54 business class and  183 economy class seats. The inaugural flight EK620 departed from Terminal 3, Dubai International at 0415 today and touched down at 0820 local time.

Sialkot International Airport, in the north-east of the Punjab province, is Pakistan’s first privately owned airport and Emirates’ arrival is set to boost the region’s economy.

The city is renowned as a key manufacturing base particularly for sports goods and clothing, gloves, surgical instruments, cutlery, ceramics and leather garments, and the airline will be eyeing export opportunities by offering up to 17 tonnes of cargo space on board.

Ahmed Khoory, Emirates’ Senior Vice President Commercial Operations, West Asia and Indian Ocean, said Pakistan was the first country Emirates flew to just over 28 years ago. “Since then the airline has steadily grown its network and continued to link the Pakistani community to the UAE as well as to worldwide destinations,” he said.

Emirates also flies to Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Peshawar.