Flydubai's inaugural flight to Asmara, the capital city of Eritrea, landed today (October 26) at the Asmara International Airport.

The flydubai delegation, led by Sudhir Sreedharan, senior vice president, Commercial (GCC, Subcontinent, Africa) and members of the airline's senior management team were welcomed by senior Eritrean officials including Tesfaslassie Berhane, minister of transportation and communication, Askalu Menkorios, minister of tourism and Paulos Kahsai, director general civil aviation authority.

Ghaith Al Ghaith, flydubai's chief executive officer, said: "The addition of Asmara to our network reflects our commitment to enhancing air connectivity to Dubai which includes 67 points that did not previously have direct air links to Dubai or were underserved. The Eritrean capital becomes our 13th destination in East Africa."

Asmara is the 18th destination flydubai has launched this year, following recent launches to Burundi, Rwanda, Somaliland, Tanzania and Uganda.

Sreedharan said: "With the addition of four flights a week to Asmara, we are providing passengers from East Africa with a direct link to Dubai. When passengers choose flydubai they will enjoy our convenient, reliable and affordable travel services, our on-board experience and our dedicated Business Class."

Business Class passengers can enjoy a comfortable spacious seat, a choice of meals from an internationally-inspired menu, a generous checked baggage allowance and fast track through immigration and security. In addition, Business Class passengers have access to business lounges across the network and a dedicated 24-hour Business team to assist with bookings and attend to enquires throughout their journey.

Passengers travelling in Economy Class can enjoy the inflight entertainment system equipped with more than 1,300 hours of content, including movies, games and newspapers. The Boeing Sky Interior minimises jetlag and increases overhead locker space to ensure the best possible on-board experience. Economy Class passengers have access to a variety of hot and cold meals available for purchase on board and on a pre-order basis.

Economy Class return fares to Asmara will start at Dh1,950 ($530.9) including 7 kg hand baggage and 20 kg checked baggage, while Business Class return fares will start at Dh4,800 ($1,306.9) and is inclusive of 40 kg checked baggage. – TradeArabia News Service