Emirates offers new locations

Dubai-based carrier, Emirates is adding a host of in-flight services, like the facility of using mobile phones onboard, toys for children and nutritious meals for them to attract more passengers.

It is also adding four new destinations""Houston, Sao Paulo, Newcastle and Venice""in its flight schedule from Dubai this year.

The airline will also offer various holiday-packages for travelers to these destinations, whereby they can stay at a hotel of their choice, according to their budget. This year it is promoting Seychelles as a holiday destination by offering budget packages to passengers.

The package include airfare, three-nights stay, transport and complimentary breakfast at Rs 27, 895 per person.

In keeping with the increase in the number of economy class passengers flying from India to Dubai, Emirates had increased the number of seats in the class from 183 last year to 253 this year.

Currently, Emirates operates six flights a week from Kolkata to Dubai, with an average passenger load of 75 percent.

It is waiting the approval of the government to operate seven flights a week. The airline started flights from Kolkata last year and it is celebrating its first anniversary this month.

Geetika Seth, sales manager, East India, said "Places like Istanbul, Cairo and Dubai is increasingly becoming a holiday destination for people from the eastern part of the country, and passenger flow is on an increase ever since Emirates started its services from Kolkata."