Dubai-based Emirates has announced it will add more than 1,600 seats a week on its Lusaka and Harare routes when it introduces a Boeing 777-300ER on its daily flight from the emirate, starting February 1.

A 354-seat Boeing 777-300ER, the longest passenger aircraft ever to touch down in Lusaka and Harare, will replace a 237-seat Airbus A330-200 on the route - a capacity increase of more than 50 per cent, a statement from the airline company said.

The upgrade comes on the first anniversary of the route's launch. Since February 1, 2012, more than 55,000 passengers have travelled with Emirates on the Dubai-Lusaka-Harare route.  

"Our Lusaka and Harare service has come of age and with demand continuing to increase, this is the right time for Emirates to be expanding its capacity," said Jean Luc Grillet, Emirates’ senior vice president, commercial operations for Africa. “With the introduction of this larger aircraft, we will offer almost 5,000 seats total every week on the route between Dubai, Lusaka and Harare.”  

Emirates’ key destinations for Zambian and Zimbabwean travellers include Dubai, Guangzhou, Beijing, Hong Kong and Bombay.

The Boeing 777-300ER is the backbone of the Emirates fleet, with 82 in service and a further 69 on order.  

The new aircraft has 354 seats in a three-class configuration offering eight luxurious first class suites, 42 seats in business class and generous space for 304 passengers in economy class, providing an additional 50 per cent capacity, or 117 extra seats per flight, compared with the current Airbus A330-200 aircraft being operated on the route.

Passengers will be able to experience the airline’s award-winning ice in-flight entertainment system with a choice of over 1,400 channels on-demand as well as meals prepared by gourmet chefs, the statement saud. Emirates is also known for its award-winning service from its international cabin crew recruited from over 100 countries around the world.   

Since the route was launched, Emirates has carried more than 5,000 tons of cargo on its Lusaka and Harare service, enabling companies to export their goods across the globe.

Popular commodities being shipped include perishables such as vegetables and flowers, while imports include pharmaceuticals and mining equipment.  The arrival of the larger aircraft will mean an increase in cargo carrying capacity of some 22 per cent to more than 18,000 kgs per flight.

“Emirates constantly strives to deliver its passengers with the very best service. The Boeing 777-300ER aircraft forms the backbone of Emirates’ fleet, and its introduction on the Lusaka and Harare route reflects our commitment to quality,” said Grillet.  

Emirates’ fleet is one of the youngest in the skies, with an average age of less than 80 months. The airline continuously replaces old aircraft with newer ones and has frequently been the first to sign up for new developments in aviation design and technology. – TradeArabia News Service