Dubai, 9 July 2012 (WAM) - Emirates, one of the world's fastest growing airlines, has further extended its European reach today by starting its first daily non-stop service to Lisbon.

This comes just six days after launching flights to Barcelona in neighbouring Spain.

The VIP delegation aboard today's flight to Lisbon included Thierry Antinori, Emirates' Executive Vice President Passenger Sales Worldwide; Salem Obaidalla, Emirates' Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Europe '&' Russian Federation; Pradeep Kumar, Senior Vice President Cargo Revenue Optimisation and Systems; Jaime Leita, the Portugal's Ambassador to the U.A.E, Hamad Bin Mejrin, Executive Director Business Tourism, Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing; and Khalid Mohammed Al Ghazal, Emirates' Boeing 777 Captain, in addition to representatives from local and regional media.

"Emirates has become the only carrier in the Middle East operating into Portugal with a daily non-stop service, doing more than just transporting passengers from one point to another, but also opening trade opportunities that didn't exist before," said Thierry Antinori, Emirates' Executive Vice President Passenger Sales Worldwide.

"Our broad network of 20 points in the Far East and Australasia, 17 across the Middle East and over 180 flights to India every week, will offer travellers from Lisbon and beyond easier access to a vast range of worldwide destinations," he continued, "This is coupled with an unparalleled experience in the air with on-board features like ice, our award-winning inflight entertainment system, world-class service and gourmet cuisine." In Lisbon, a welcoming reception for the first flight was attended by Rui Veres, Member of the Board Administration Lisbon Airport (ANA); Antonio Costa, the Mayor of Lisbon, along with partners from the travel trade and local media.

"Our most recent partner, Emirates, is a recognized and admired company for the excellence of its service. It is with great pleasure that we are here today, at the moment when the Lisbon-Dubai connection officially opens. We are confident at ANA that passengers will benefit from all the advantages of a direct flight to Dubai, with quick connections to all Asia. A country's connections are one of the determinant factors for the competitiveness and development of its economy and tourism. These new connections, and all other connections beyond Dubai, are very positive for the Portuguese economy," said Rui Veres, Member of the Board Administration Lisbon Airport (ANA).

Emirates will serve Lisbon with a Boeing 777-200ER offering 274 seats in a three-class configuration. EK 191 leaves Dubai at 0915hrs each day and arrives in Lisbon at 1445hrs. The return flight, EK 192 departs Lisbon at 1755hrs and gets into Dubai at 0435hrs the next day. Portuguese First Officer Tiago Simoes was on the flight deck for today's flight.

WAM/MAB