Emirates has operated its first flight from Dubai to Helsinki, launching a daily service to the Finnish capital, the airline said in a press release dated October 1.

Flight EK167 departed Dubai at 07:30 local time on Thursday with a near-full passenger and cargo load, including a VIP delegation and media, Emirates said.

The airline said the new route is the only year-round direct link between the UAE and Finland. It said the flight offers connections from nearly 140 points on its network, including key points in Australia, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

Emirates operates the service with an Airbus A350, which it describes as the newest aircraft type to join its all-widebody fleet. The aircraft seats 298 passengers in three cabins: Business, Premium Economy and Economy.

Emirates said the daily flight is timed for connections via Dubai to destinations across Asia, the Indian Ocean, Africa, the Middle East and Australasia. Onboard menus include Finnish-inspired dishes such as juniper-marinated salmon, seared venison and lingonberry cheesecake, the airline said.

Emirates SkyCargo will offer up to 16 tonnes of bellyhold capacity on each Helsinki flight, the airline said. It listed pharmaceuticals, electronics, machinery, timber and perishables as key exports the capacity is aimed at. Emirates said the UAE is Finland's largest trading partner in the Gulf.

The inaugural flight carried Mohamed Rashid bin Taliah, UAE Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Government Knowledge Exchange, along with delegates from areas of cooperation between the two countries, including cybersecurity, digital transformation, energy, trade and education, the release said.

Others on board included Tuula Yrjola, Finland's ambassador to the UAE and Bahrain; Omar bin Ghaleb, deputy director general of the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority; and Samuli Pesu, chairman of the Finnish Business Council UAE. The Emirates delegation was led by Adnan Kazim, deputy president and chief commercial officer, and Jeffrey Van Haeften, senior vice president of cargo commercial worldwide at Emirates SkyCargo.

Tickets can be booked on emirates.com, through the Emirates app or via travel agents, the airline said.

Source: PR